Artwork

Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve

Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve, by Unknown, 1900
Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve, by Unknown, 1900

Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Created around the turn of the twentieth century by the artist known as 1010_person, the work titled Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year’s Eve is an oil painting in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The composition centers on a solitary figure extinguishing a candle, set against a dim interior that is illuminated only by the glow of a few flames.

Subject & Meaning

The scene portrays a pastor, identifiable by his dark hat and coat, poised to blow out a candle as the year ends. A second, similarly dressed man watches from the left, while a cross hangs on the wall behind them, suggesting a religious ritual or moment of contemplation linked to the transition into a new year.

Technique & Style

The artist employs strong chiaroscuro, contrasting the deep shadows of the surrounding space with the warm light of the candles. This handling of light creates a three‑dimensional effect and emphasizes the solemn mood. The limited palette of dark tones punctuated by amber highlights underscores the thematic focus on illumination and its withdrawal.

History & Provenance

Attributed to 1010_person, the painting dates to approximately 1900, a period when the artist frequently explored the interplay of light and darkness. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains part of the institution’s representation of early twentieth‑century narrative painting.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known