Beyond the Light: Identity and Place in 19th-Century Danish Art examines the period formerly known as the Danish Golden Age, a name that belies the economic and political hardships Denmark experienced in the 19th century. Yet this turmoil is what gave rise to a vibrant cultural and philosophical environment with a close-knit community of Danish artists inspired to explore notions of place, identity, and belonging in their work. On view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Beyond the Light places the drawings, oil sketches, and paintings created by these artists firmly in this period, one that witnessed the transformation of a once-powerful Danish kingdom into a small, somewhat marginalized country at the edge of Europe. The exhibit is at The Met Fifth Avenue, Galleries 691693, The Charles Z. Offin Gallery, Karen B. Cohen Gallery, and Harriette and Noel Levine Gallery, and was made possible by Gilbert and Ildiko Butler. Additional support is provided by The Schiff Foundation. It will be on view until April 16. Following The Mets presentation, the exhibition will be on view at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, Calif., from May 23 to Aug. 20. Beyond the Light tells a powerful story about shifting borders, national identity, and feelings of belonging and displacement, all themes that resonate with contemporary audiences all over the world, said Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met. By focusing mainly on drawings and oil sketches of the period, the exhibition is the first to offer a history of 19th-century Denmark that is more personal and nuanced than the more official one often represented by finished paintings. The exhibition features approximately 100 works from The Met collection, SMKThe National Gallery of Denmark, several American public collections, and the private collection of Roberta Olson and Alexander Johnson. It highlights such artists as Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, Christen Kbke, Constantin Hansen, Martinus Rrbye, and Vilhelm Hammershi as well as lesser-known figures like Anton Melbye, Johan Thomas Lundbye, Peter Christian Skovgaard, and Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand Holm, among others. The 19th century was one of the most tumultuous periods in Denmarks history, from the disaster of the Napoleonic Wars and the devastating bombardment of Copenhagen to subsequent bankruptcy and mounting antagonism with Germany. Denmark also went from being one of the oldest absolute monarchies with a thousand-year history to a constitutional democracy. Efforts to restore the nations psyche led to a rise in nationalism and, with it, an increased interest in Danish history, customs, culture, and language. This exhibition unfolds in five thematic sections, with an unprecedented focus on drawings, to explore the art of this period as Danish artists navigated a rapidly changing world. A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press, it is available for purchase from The Met Store. For more information, visit www.metmuseum.org.