The erotic scene, framed inside the lid of a casket, is probably commisioned by Frederik Juel (1761–1827), son of Carl Juel (1706–1767) and fourth generation of the Juel family at Valdemar's Castle, lord of the manor 1767–1827. It was intended to please the male visitors at Valdemar Slot. The painting was initially linked to Eckersberg in 1963 by the authors J. Fabricius-Møller and Ove Brusendorff in “Illustreret populært seksual leksikon”, Copenhagen 1963, p.191. Since then the attribution has been supported by art historians, including Marianne Saabye and Hans Edvard Nørregård-Nielsen (both 1994). The latter describes the painting as “so well executed that it almost excludes others”.

"Put her in the warmest bed found, each pillow filled with eiderdown. Subtly thrust under her caboose a pillow meant for this precise use”.

The above lines were written by Adam Oehlenschläger and originate from the poem “Advice for young husbands” written at the beginning of the 19th century. According to tradition, it was the inspiration for the present erotic scene. The poem was first published in print in 1972, and until then it presumably circulated in gentlemen’s private chambers in handwritten form. And precisely this secrecy illustrates how precarious the subject was and continued to be up through the 19th century. The format for the contemporary (and earlier) erotica had been this small and discreet format, e.g. anonymous engravings in small and often private publications or, as here, hidden behind an iron plate in the lid of a casket.

Despite the morality of the period and a polite legacy, eroticism did occupy the young Eckersberg. Still influenced by Abildgaard and in an extension of a tradition that goes back to Marcantonio Raimondi's series of copperplate engravings after Giulio Romano I Modi (The Sixteen Pleasures 1524), we find in the copperplate collection a few detailed drawings by Eckersberg depicting “A cuddly couple in bed” (The National Gallery of Denmark, Inv. No. KKS1199) – just before the candle is extinguished and a “Reclining Model” (The National Gallery of Denmark Inv. No. KKS1986–461) – motifs that, based on the frisky glances, could predate that which could not stand the light of day nor the times in which they were made.

Exhibited: Statens Museum for Kunst, “Eckersberg - En smuk løgn”, 2015, no. 1, mentioned and reproduced p. 197.

Literature: Marianne Saabye, “Mellem ideal og virkelighed. C.W. Eckersberg og modelstudiet”, i “Den Nøgne Guldalder”, The Hirschsprung Collection, 1994, mentioned p. 22, reproduced p. 21. Hans Edvard Nørregård-Nielsen, “Gyldne dage og mørke nætter. Omkring Kongens Nytorv”, 1994 and 2000, mentioned p. 89–91, reproduced without frame p. 91. Dan Ch. Christensen, “Romantikkens natursyn. H.C. Ørsteds fald og oprejsning”, i “Guldalderhistorier. 20 nærbilleder af perioden 1800–1850”, 1994, mentioned and reproduced p. 55.

Provenance: Valdemar's Castle, Tåsinge. “The Library” (Inv. No. B 03).