Professor i zoologi, Japetus Steenstrup holder foredrag 1895

Editor: This is P.S. Krøyer's 1895 painting, "Professor i zoologi, Japetus Steenstrup holder foredrag," rendered in oil paint. It feels very much like a candid snapshot of a lecture. The stark lighting on the professor is intriguing, but also obscures those who are listening. What grabs your attention in this piece? Curator: Well, let's consider the material conditions of its creation. Krøyer, a celebrated artist, depicts Steenstrup, a man of science, in the act of lecturing. But consider the labor involved – the sittings for the portrait, the preparation of the canvas, the mixing of oils. It isn't merely representational. It's about the material act of capturing a moment and translating it through Krøyer’s hand, brush, and vision onto this specific support. Notice the loose brushwork, almost like sketches of the other attendees, barely present! What does that imply about what or *who* Krøyer considered important? Editor: That makes sense. The professor is obviously the focal point. Do you think the haziness of the audience speaks to the changing status of educational institutions at that time? Curator: Possibly, but I also wonder about the consumption of art during that period. Who would have commissioned such a work, and why? It elevates a scientific lecture into a scene worthy of artistic rendering. What societal values are reflected through the depiction of a professor addressing an audience and by whom and for whom was this status symbolized? Editor: It does make you think about how the act of painting itself contributes to Steenstrup's legacy, and Krøyer’s. Thank you! I see so much more in it now. Curator: Absolutely! By understanding the material and social processes intertwined within it, we can unlock deeper meaning of the value, status and legacy constructed here.