Artwork
En søhavn

En søhavn 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
En søhavn, attributed to an anonymous artist catalogued as 37516_person, dates to around 1750 and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work is a monochrome depiction of a modest harbor settlement, rendered in a manner that emphasizes atmosphere over precise detail.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents a small coastal village tucked between rugged cliffs, with a handful of modest dwellings and a church clustered on a flat shoreline. A sizable sailing vessel lies at anchor, while two figures on a nearby rock observe the harbor, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation amid everyday maritime life.
Technique & Style
Executed in black and white, the image employs soft, diffused edges that lend a hazy, almost dreamlike quality. The lack of sharp definition and the generalized forms of the ship and architecture evoke a nostalgic view of a period when seafaring was a dominant mode of transport.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1750, the work entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date. Its attribution to the catalogued identifier 37516_person reflects the museum’s practice of assigning provisional names when the artist’s identity remains unknown.
Context
The composition reflects 18th‑century interests in coastal geography and the daily rhythms of maritime communities. By focusing on a tranquil harbor rather than grand naval battles, the image aligns with contemporary visual records that documented ordinary life along the sea.
Artist & collection



















