Artwork

Promenading in a Park

Promenading in a Park, by Unknown, 1764
Promenading in a Park, by Unknown, 1764

Promenading in a Park is a photography by the Romanticist artist Unknown. It dates from 1764 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1764 by the artist identified as 1092_person, this oil painting entitled *Promenading in a Park* is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work depicts a twilight stroll through a landscaped garden, illuminated by a sky suffused with pink and orange hues. Figures in contemporary dress populate the foreground, while trees and a distant statue frame the scene.

Subject & Meaning

The relaxed posture and soft expressions suggest a genteel social ritual of outdoor recreation common in the eighteenth‑century aristocratic milieu.

The composition presents a mixed group of men and women engaged in leisurely promenade. Women are dressed in elaborate gowns and hats, one shielding herself with a green parasol, while the men wear coats, hats and, in some cases, support themselves with canes. The relaxed posture and soft expressions suggest a genteel social ritual of outdoor recreation common in the eighteenth‑century aristocratic milieu.

Technique & Style

The artist employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, contrasting the warm, glowing sky with the deeper shadows of the foliage and architectural elements. A delicate handling of light creates a subtle gradation on faces, lending a slightly dreamlike atmosphere. The palette of pink, orange, and muted earth tones reinforces the evening ambience and unifies the visual field.

History & Provenance

Since its completion in 1764, the painting has remained within institutional holdings, eventually entering the Museum of Ethnography’s collection. Documentation indicates the work was acquired by the museum in the early twentieth century, though earlier ownership details are sparse. Its presence in the museum underscores the institution’s interest in representing social scenes from European cultural history.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known