Artwork
A Girl with Fruits in a Basket
A Girl with Fruits in a Basket is an oil painting by Constantin Hansen. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1827 by Constantin Hansen, a prominent painter of Denmark’s Golden Age, this oil on canvas portrays a young girl with a wicker basket of fruit. The work is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s early career before he became widely known for portraiture and historic scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a girl dressed in a dark gown with puffed sleeves, a white ribbon at her throat, and a broad hat. She holds a basket brimming with assorted fruit and looks straight at the viewer, inviting a quiet, domestic interaction that reflects everyday life rather than mythic or heroic narratives.
Technique & Style
Hansen employs oil paint with careful modelling of light and shadow, using chiaroscuro to give the figure a three‑dimensional presence against a muted brown backdrop. The brushwork is precise, especially in rendering the textures of the fruit and the fabric, demonstrating the artist’s technical competence characteristic of early‑19th‑century academic training.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the holdings of Denmark’s national gallery, Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display. Its creation coincides with Hansen’s formative period, during which he was influenced by contemporary art historian Niels Laurits Høyen and began exploring themes related to national identity and everyday Danish life.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Carl Christian Constantin Hansen (Constantin Hansen) (3 November 1804 – 29 March 1880) was one of the painters associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting.
