Kvindelig model, liggende 1915

Curator: This is "Kvindelig model, liggende," or "Female Model, Lying Down," a pencil drawing from 1915 by J.A. Jerichau II, currently held in the collection of the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: My immediate reaction is how incredibly vulnerable the pose feels, yet the sketch is so unassuming. The economy of line lends itself to this feeling of openness. Curator: Precisely. Jerichau’s use of pencil lends itself perfectly to examining the interplay between the model, the artist, and the cultural values surrounding female representation in early 20th-century Danish art. What labor went into the making of this sketch? Was it preparatory, a quick study, or something more refined? Editor: I'm struck by how the gaze is absent, averted – both for the model, of course, but also perhaps for us, the viewers. Given the historical context, the question of objectification is inescapable. It also raises questions of power. The model's agency versus the male gaze? Curator: Yes, considering the artist's male perspective. Did Jerichau use commercially available pencils, or grind his own pigments? Who profited from the sale and distribution of artist materials? These are crucial questions as we explore the work's historical context and social dynamics. Editor: Absolutely. Thinking about gender and the art world, and the social hierarchies that were implicitly or explicitly expressed through it is inevitable when confronting this piece. Jerichau, positioned within this context, negotiates prevailing ideals of beauty and femininity but also possibly challenges or even reinforces them? Curator: Looking closely at the physical support of the drawing brings its own set of historical questions regarding paper manufacture. Examining the process, and ultimately commodification of it at this moment opens a more grounded understanding. Editor: Ultimately, the beauty lies in its unpretentious raw immediacy but this sketch inevitably echoes questions of power, perception, and social norms still relevant today. Curator: Indeed. Thinking of process is key. Reflecting on how "Female Model, Lying Down," through the means of its production reveals material relationships adds much more texture to our viewing.