Artwork
En læge ved sygesengen
En læge ved sygesengen is a photography by the Romanticist artist Unknown. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
En læge ved sygesengen, created in 1840 by 625_person, is an early black-and-white photograph depicting a serene domestic scene. Now housed at the Museum of Ethnography, it captures a moment of intimacy and care.
Subject & Meaning
The photograph shows a doctor (man in a long coat) tending to a patient at bedside, observed by a woman (possibly a family member) and an older woman. The scene conveys a sense of quiet concern and personal care, emphasizing the human aspect of medical attention.
Technique & Style
Shot in black-and-white, the photo utilizes the early photographic techniques of its time (circa 1840) to create a somber, contemplative atmosphere. The composition, with its everyday setting (wooden floors, fireplace, spinning wheel), aligns with the Romantic emphasis on ordinary life and emotional depth.
History & Provenance
Dating back to 1840, En læge ved sygesengen is among the earliest documented photographs depicting a doctor at a patient’s bedside. Its current location is the Museum of Ethnography.
Context
Created during the Romantic era, the photograph reflects the period’s artistic values, prioritizing emotion, intimacy, and the beauty in mundane life. This context adds depth to its portrayal of a personal, vulnerable moment.
Legacy
As one of the first photographs of its kind, En læge ved sygesengen holds historical significance in both the development of photography and the visual documentation of medical care in a domestic setting.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
