Thorvaldsen's Studio in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen 1836

J.V. Gertner painted Thorvaldsen's Studio in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, some time in the mid-19th century. The image presents a fascinating snapshot of artistic life and the institutional structures that supported it. We see a gathering of figures, presumably students and visitors, surrounded by the plaster casts that formed the core of academic training. The focus is on the studio of Bertel Thorvaldsen, a leading figure in the neoclassical movement. Made in Denmark, this painting reflects the country's embrace of Neoclassicism as a way to assert cultural authority and align itself with the traditions of ancient Greece and Rome. Institutions like the Royal Academy played a crucial role in shaping artistic taste and promoting a particular vision of national identity. We might ask ourselves, what social values did they promote? Were there alternative artistic movements excluded from this space? To understand this image better, scholars might consult archival records of the Royal Academy, biographies of Thorvaldsen, and studies of Neoclassical art in Europe. By examining the social and institutional context, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the complex forces that shaped artistic production in 19th-century Copenhagen.