Dansemester Johannes Peter Linck 1778 - 1796

Curator: Well, what strikes you first about this marble relief, dating back to the late 18th century? Editor: I’m drawn to its quiet solemnity. It's the profile of a man set within this almost perfect circle, yet fractured as well. It creates a mood that’s both stoic and a little melancholic, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Absolutely. This is "Dansemester Johannes Peter Linck," crafted between 1778 and 1796. We know very little about the sculpture besides it is crafted by Luigi di Giuseppe Grossi and a Neoclassical artwork preserved here at the SMK in Copenhagen. There's a certain idealized classicism that Grossi embraces, but with a sensitivity to detail that reveals the individual. Editor: You know, seeing those cracks gives this object such a tangible history, a vulnerability even. But I have a hard time imagining his expression, his true feelings if you will, frozen in profile only. Does that make sense? Curator: Absolutely! It speaks volumes about how we engage with representations of the past, especially through symbols of status. Look at his carefully styled hair, that elaborate jabot at his neck...it suggests a very specific self-image that was clearly important to him and, no doubt, to his commissioner. There is even a touch of the comedic about his hair. Editor: Definitely! The fact that it’s rendered in marble lends this permanence. That desire to transcend time, yet it's marked by time as well through these fractures. In some cultures, breaking pottery, sculptures, or artworks renders the item more truthful or spiritual. Would you relate this fracture to that idea? Curator: Interesting. I can relate to that concept within a visual language where symbols become relics and evidence. It may no longer be "real," but it symbolizes so much that still exists today. The way our histories affect and define our current experiences in reality, how the "good times" can also hide fractures we still haven't solved. The more I contemplate these things, the more melancholic this relief feels to me! Editor: A really great paradox between enduring artistry and temporal reality! That is exactly what stays with me as well, as I let the quiet elegance settle into memory.