Artwork
Louise Lange, f. Aagaard, kunstnerens moder og en lille pige

Louise Lange, f. Aagaard, kunstnerens moder og en lille pige is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1910 by Louise Lange, daughter of Aagaard, this monochrome image presents an older woman and a young girl standing together.
About this work
The woman’s face is lined, her gaze steady, while the girl looks straight ahead with a serious expression.
This black-and-white image shows an older woman in a dark coat and hat standing beside a young girl. The woman’s face is lined, her gaze steady, while the girl looks straight ahead with a serious expression. Both wear simple, old-fashioned clothing, and the woman holds a cane.
The artist signed it in 1910, but the style looks more like a painted portrait than a photo. The lighting creates strong contrasts, almost like shadows and light are carved into the scene.
Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and dark like this.
Overview
Created in 1910 by Louise Lange, daughter of Aagaard, this monochrome image presents an older woman and a young girl standing together. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The composition captures a moment of quiet interaction between the two figures, rendered in stark tonal contrasts.
Subject & Meaning
The older figure, dressed in a dark coat and hat, holds a cane and gazes directly outward, conveying a sense of steadiness. Beside her, a small girl in simple attire looks forward with a serious expression. The pairing suggests a familial relationship, likely mother and child, emphasizing generational continuity and the quiet dignity of everyday life.
Technique & Style
Although signed as a photograph, the image resembles a painted portrait, employing chiaroscuro to model light and shadow. The high contrast between illuminated areas and deep shadows gives the scene a sculptural quality, while the lack of color focuses attention on form, texture, and the emotional weight of the subjects' faces.
History & Provenance
The work was completed in 1910 and subsequently entered the holdings of the Museum of Ethnography, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Louise Lange, identified as the artist’s mother, aligns with the title’s reference to the artist’s mother and a small girl, linking the piece to personal family history.
Artist & collection
















