How it started 02

Heirich Eddelien (1802-1852) - Detail of The origin of painting (1831). In the collection of the National Gallery of Denmark, Shown at the temporary exhibition "The Danish Golden Age", National Museum, Stockholm, summer 2019.

 

This picture recalls the story told by the ancient Roman author Pliny the Elder about Kora of Sicyon, who supposedly lived in the 7th century BC. She used a piece of coal to trace the shadow of her lover on a wall, thereby originating the art of painting.

 

Heinrich Eddelien was a German-born painter who trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and was active in Denmark working for the royal court. He favoured motives from mythology or the Bible, painted with statuesque poses.

Done