Kulturens herredømme 1758 - 1809

Editor: We are looking at "The Reign of Culture" painted by Nicolai Abildgaard around 1758-1809, crafted with oil on canvas. The monochrome effect creates a severe and austere mood. It’s difficult to interpret the relationship between the figures in the foreground. What's your reading of this painting, particularly in relation to the historical context of its making? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on power structures embedded within cultural production. Look at the chains binding the figure at the bottom, defeated at the foot of an allegory of Culture, possibly Minerva. This immediately evokes questions of how power operates, who benefits, and whose labor is exploited in creating cultural artifacts. What materials were used in creating the pigments, and where did Abildgaard source his canvas? These choices dictated the appearance of the painting, and hint at networks of trade, colonial influence, and class divisions. Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn’t considered the material implications so explicitly. So the history of canvas production and paint manufacturing becomes crucial? Curator: Precisely. And what about the cannon, lying discarded nearby? It underscores a tension between brute force and the subtle control wielded through cultural dominance. The canvas itself is a product of industry, labour, global trade... Editor: Right. And it challenges this idea that high art floats above everyday material concerns, instead positioning it within a tangible economic framework. I now see it in dialogue with its own means of production and consumption. Curator: Precisely, even consumption. Consider also that Neoclassicism arose in concert with emerging capitalism, finding aesthetics of production and presentation rooted deeply within material circumstances of labor, and the cultural capital necessary for creating or owning it. Editor: Thank you. Considering these layers really deepened my appreciation of the piece.