Artwork
High Mountains
High Mountains is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
High Mountains, attributed to the artist known as 1811_person, dates to around 1850 and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work is an oil image depicting a wintry alpine scene populated by a herd of reindeer on a steep, snow‑covered slope under a pale, cloud‑streaked sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the reindeer, a species traditionally associated with northern landscapes and subsistence cultures. Their placement on the rugged hillside suggests a focus on the relationship between fauna and harsh, icy environments, possibly evoking themes of survival and the stark beauty of high‑latitude terrain.
Technique & Style
The surface is built up with thick, uneven brushstrokes that create a tactile, impasto effect, especially in the snow and sky areas. This heavy application of paint lends the scene a rough, textured quality, emphasizing the physicality of the cold, crystalline landscape.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, High Mountains has remained in the holdings of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as part of the institution’s representation of 19th‑century northern European visual culture.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
