Who painted A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene?

A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene was painted by Julius Friedlænder in 1838.

Where can I see A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene?

A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene?

A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene is associated with Realism.

Artwork

A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene

Julius Friedlænder , 1838

A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene is an oil painting by the Realist artist Julius Friedlænder. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Julius Friedlænder’s oil on canvas, A Plaster Cast Vendor. Copenhagen Street Scene, dates from 1838 and is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work portrays a lively urban tableau set on a Copenhagen street, where a small crowd gathers around a table displaying plaster casts, while a horse‑drawn carriage and city buildings recede into the background.

Subject & Meaning

The central focus is a vendor offering plaster replicas—likely of classical sculptures—to passersby. A gentleman in a top hat inspects one of the casts, suggesting a market for artistic study aids among the city’s residents. The composition reflects everyday commerce and the diffusion of artistic culture within a mid‑19th‑century Danish metropolis.

Technique & Style

Friedlænder employs a balanced palette, contrasting warm brick hues of the surrounding architecture with the cooler, muted sky. The brushwork captures the texture of stone, fabric, and metal, while the arrangement of figures conveys motion and interaction. Light falls across the scene, highlighting the plaster objects and lending depth to the bustling street.

History & Provenance

Completed in 1838, the painting entered the national collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in documenting urban life and the development of Danish genre painting during the early nineteenth century.