Beyond the Light

Placing artists at the center of nineteenth-century Demarks dramatic cultural, political, and philosophical transformation, this publication explores their persistent national pride in a time of turmoil Though known as the Danish Golden Age, nineteenth-century Denmark was one of the most tumultuous periods in the nations historyfrom the disastrous siege of Copenhagen and the collapse of Denmarks monarchy to the swelling tide of nationalism that eventually engulfed all of Europe. This volume places artists at the center of Denmarks dramatic cultural, political, and philosophical transformation by bringing together 90 drawings, paintings, and oil sketches by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, Christen Kbke, Constantin Hansen, Martinus Rrbye, Johan Thomas Lundbye, Vilhelm Hammershi, and others. 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 seas 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 26April 16, 2023) The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (May 23August 20, 2023)