Artwork

Maleren. En kunstner betragter sammen med sin hustru sit værk

Maleren. En kunstner betragter sammen med sin hustru sit værk, by Unknown, 1907
Maleren. En kunstner betragter sammen med sin hustru sit værk, by Unknown, 1907

Maleren. En kunstner betragter sammen med sin hustru sit værk is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1907 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. ‘Maleren.

About this work

Overview

‘Maleren. En kunstner betragter sammen med sin hustru sit værk’ is a black‑and‑white photograph taken in 1907 by the Danish artist known as 563_person. The image is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. It captures an intimate domestic setting in which a painter and his wife examine a work in progress, surrounded by the clutter of a personal studio.

Subject & Meaning

The surrounding objects—a round mirror, a blank canvas, and scattered frames—underscore the environment of artistic production and reflection.

The picture presents two figures in a modestly lit room. The seated individual, slumped on a worn couch, holds a sketchpad, suggesting a moment of contemplation or fatigue after creative labor. The standing figure, presumably the wife, leans against the wall with crossed arms, observing quietly. The surrounding objects—a round mirror, a blank canvas, and scattered frames—underscore the environment of artistic production and reflection.

Technique & Style

Executed in monochrome, the photograph relies on chiaroscuro to model depth and mood, with stark contrasts between illuminated surfaces and deep shadows. The composition frames the couch and figures centrally while the cluttered background recedes, creating a sense of spatial confinement. The grainy texture and soft focus on peripheral items convey the era’s photographic aesthetic and reinforce the intimate, unposed quality of the scene.

History & Provenance

Created in 1907, the work remained within the artist’s personal archive before entering the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings. The museum acquired the photograph as part of a broader effort to document early twentieth‑century visual culture in Denmark, situating it among other ethnographic and artistic artifacts that illustrate domestic creative practices of the period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known