Who painted Peasants Merry-Making?

Peasants Merry-Making was painted by Unknown in 1750.

Where can I see Peasants Merry-Making?

Peasants Merry-Making is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artwork

Peasants Merry-Making

Peasants Merry-Making is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Peasants Merry-Making, attributed to the artist known as 1667_person, dates to around 1750 and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work is a black‑and‑white image that captures a lively gathering of rural figures outside a modest dwelling, juxtaposing ordinary social activity with an unsettling atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts villagers assembled on a grassy patch beside a simple house. Some individuals sit and converse while others stand, move, or cling to a rope that hangs near the structure. A tall pole bearing a sign adds a focal point to the right. The composition suggests a moment of communal festivity that is tinged with an ambiguous, almost uncanny quality.

Technique & Style

The artist employs strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the figures and the surrounding space, creating a sense of depth and drama. The arrangement of the people—some illuminated, others receding into darker tones—guides the viewer’s eye across the tableau, emphasizing the tension between the everyday and the extraordinary.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1750, the image entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on display. Its attribution to 1667_person reflects scholarly consensus based on stylistic analysis and archival references, though the artist’s broader oeuvre is not extensively documented.