Portrætudkast af samme som på recto (Susanne Elisabeth Holm, kaldet Julie), en face 1777 - 1779

Jens Juel sketched this portrait of Susanne Elisabeth Holm, likely in the late 18th century, using red chalk on paper. It offers a glimpse into the conventions of portraiture and social status in Denmark during that period. The sketch, though unfinished, reveals much about the sitter's position. Her elaborate hairstyle and formal attire would have signaled her membership in the upper echelons of society. Juel was a leading portraitist, deeply embedded in the social and artistic circles of Copenhagen. His role was to uphold and celebrate the existing social order through flattering and dignified representations of the elite. The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where Juel later became director, played a crucial role in standardizing artistic styles. To fully understand this work, one might delve into the social history of 18th-century Denmark, examining fashion trends, class structures, and the patronage system that sustained artists like Juel. The sketch reminds us that art is not created in a vacuum, but is always shaped by the society in which it is made.