Studier af eg, ranunkelblade o.a. 1840s

Dankvart Dreyer created "Studies of oak, buttercup leaves, etc." using pencil, pen and brush on paper, at an unknown date. Dreyer, working in the 19th century, was part of a generation grappling with ideas of nationhood and cultural identity. In this study, Dreyer presents us with a series of seemingly disparate images on one page. A landscape with trees, studies of leaves, and a partial sketch of a figure. We are invited to consider how these elements might relate to one another, or to consider the artist's process as he moves between these different subjects. This drawing provides insight into Dreyer's artistic practice and the way he was observing the world around him. How might his exploration of the local landscape relate to the broader cultural and political concerns of his time? What can we discern about his sense of place?