Artwork
Engelsk dans i København
Engelsk dans i København is an unspecified painting by the Biedermeier artist Unknown. It dates from 1807 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1807, Engelsk dans i København is an oil painting attributed to the artist listed as 3871_person. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. It depicts a bustling interior scene where a mixed group of men and women are engaged in a social dance, captured in a modestly illuminated space.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents ordinary participants—men in dark coats with light breeches and women in flowing dresses—interacting in a domestic setting. The emphasis on everyday leisure activity reflects an interest in the lived experiences of common people, offering a glimpse into early‑19th‑century social customs rather than heroic or mythological narratives.
Technique & Style
The treatment of light through a tall window and the worn floorboards contributes to a realistic, atmospheric effect typical of early Romantic genre painting.
The artist employs a subdued palette of whites, grays, and muted blues, punctuated by occasional bright accents such as a yellow fan. Brushwork suggests motion, while the faces are rendered with slight softness, lending the scene a fleeting, snapshot quality. The treatment of light through a tall window and the worn floorboards contributes to a realistic, atmospheric effect typical of early Romantic genre painting.
History & Provenance
Since its completion in 1807, the painting has remained within institutional holdings, eventually entering the Museum of Ethnography’s collection. Documentation traces its provenance directly to the museum, where it is displayed as an example of early 19th‑century European genre art that focuses on communal activity and domestic interiors.
Artist & collection
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H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection
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H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection
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