Studie af en kvindes højre albueled 1790s

Jens Juel created this drawing of a woman's elbow, using chalk on paper. The initial impression is one of fragmented anatomy, a study divorced from the body it belongs to. Note how Juel renders the elbow with a limited palette, focusing on tonal variations to suggest form and depth. The composition isolates the elbow, turning it into an almost abstract shape, a study in form rather than a portrait. This fragment invites us to question the boundaries of representation. Is it merely an exercise in anatomical accuracy, or does it hint at deeper explorations of form? The cropped nature and the emphasis on the elbow's structure invites contemplation. It challenges us to see the beauty in the anatomical detail, and to question the conventional notions of portraiture and representation.