Artwork

Mand med slæde

Mand med slæde, by Unknown, unspecified, 1809
Mand med slæde, by Unknown, unspecified, 1809

Mand med slæde is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1809 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1809, this image titled “Mand med slæde” is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work is attributed to the artist catalogued as 30609_person. It presents a winter scene in which a solitary figure drags a loaded sled across a snow‑filled landscape, evoking a sense of stark, northern environment.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a lone man, clothed in dark garments and a hat, pulling a sled with a rope. The sled carries what appear to be animal pelts, suggesting a subsistence activity or trade in furs. The surrounding snow‑capped mountains and leafless trees reinforce themes of isolation and the harshness of life in cold climates.

Technique & Style

Rendered in a realistic manner, the image employs a muted palette dominated by whites, grays, and deep earth tones to convey the chill of the setting. The artist’s handling of light and shadow delineates the contours of the figure and the sled, while the background mountains are suggested with soft, atmospheric brushwork that recedes into distance.

History & Provenance

The work dates to the early nineteenth century, a period when depictions of everyday northern life were gaining interest among ethnographic collectors. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains part of the institution’s visual documentation of traditional Arctic and sub‑Arctic practices.

Context

The image aligns with other productions by 30609_person, an artist noted for portraying quotidian scenes and natural surroundings. Such works contributed to contemporary understandings of remote cultures and environments, offering viewers a visual record of labor and landscape in regions where fur trading and sled transport were integral to survival.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known