Beyond the Light: Identity and Place in Nineteenth-Century Danish Art

Placing artists at the center of nineteenth-century Demark's dramatic cultural, political, and philosophical transformation, this publication explores their persistent national pride in a time of turmoil

Nineteenth-century Danish artists experienced one of the most tumultuous periods in their nation's history, from the disastrous siege of Copenhagen to the collapse of Denmark's monarchy and the swelling tide of nationalism that eventually engulfed all of Europe. Bringing together 90 drawings, paintings, and oil sketches by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, Christen K bke, Constantin Hansen, Martinus R rbye, Johan Thomas Lundbye, and Vilhelm Hammersh i, this publication explores the art from the period that was known as the Danish Golden Age but was in fact a time of great economic and political turmoil. Five thematic essays by leading scholars in Denmark and the United States explore the way Danish artists manifested the pride, traditions, and anxieties of their nation; the sea's ever-changing role as a marker of Danish identity; the evolving nature of portraiture; nostalgia for the Danish landscape and folk traditions; and the influence on Danish artists of their travels throughout Europe.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition Schedule:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
(January 26-April 16, 2023)

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
(May 23-August 20, 2023)

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1588397335
• ISBN13: 9781588397331
• Release Date: February 2023
• Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art New York
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 3.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.2" x 10.2"