Artwork

Udkast til freskerne i Viborg Domkirke. Væggene. Nordre sideskib og felterne over Triforierne

Udkast til freskerne i Viborg Domkirke. Væggene. Nordre sideskib og felterne over Triforierne is an unspecified painting by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1897 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work, titled Udkast til freskerne i Viborg Domkirke.

About this work

Overview

The work, titled Udkast til freskerne i Viborg Domkirke. Væggene. Nordre sideskib og felterne over Triforierne, is an 1897 image that records a design for frescoes intended for the northern side wall of Viborg Cathedral. The drawing is part of the Museum of Ethnography’s collection and serves as a visual study of how the planned decorations would appear on the stone surface.

Subject & Meaning

The composition consists of a series of arches set against a brick background, each containing a miniature narrative scene. Within the arches, figures and animals enact biblical episodes, such as a boat on water or a group gathered around a table. Small Danish captions identify each story, linking the visual program to scriptural sources.

Technique & Style

Rendered in soft whites, muted blues, and earthy browns, the image mimics the texture of stone while preserving a delicate, almost watercolor quality. The upper tier of arches is rendered with simplified forms, whereas the lower tier introduces additional details, such as a green curtain draped within one niche, suggesting a layered approach to the eventual frescoes.

History & Provenance

Created in 1897 by the artist identified as 1231_person, the drawing was later acquired by the Museum of Ethnography. It remains a key document for understanding the planning stages of the cathedral’s decorative scheme and reflects the late‑19th‑century interest in historic ecclesiastical art.