Artwork
Appraising the Day's Work
Appraising the Day's Work is an oil painting by Anna Ancher. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Appraising the Day's Work is a group portrait that functions as a self-portrait of the artist Anna Ancher alongside her husband, Michael Ancher.
Appraising the Day's Work is a group portrait that functions as a self-portrait of the artist Anna Ancher alongside her husband, Michael Ancher. The composition depicts both figures within the context of their artistic practice, specifically showing the act of painting itself as a central element of the scene. By including both spouses and the tools of their trade, the work represents a shared professional life and mutual engagement in creative labor.
The painting serves as a visual record of the couple's partnership, highlighting their joint identity as artists through the depiction of their daily work environment.
Technique & Style
Appraising the Day's Work is an oil painting on canvas dated 1883, measuring 83.5 cm by 103 cm. The surface is built up with traditional oil pigments applied in thin, layered brushstrokes that define the figures of Michael Ancher and Anna Ancher within a modest interior setting. The composition balances a muted palette with illumination focused on the artist’s face, emphasizing realism characteristic of Danish genre painting. As a portrait that also references a painting, the work merges self‑portraiture with genre narrative, reinforcing its formal emphasis on domestic intimacy.
History & Provenance
Anna Ancher created the oil painting Appraising the Day's Work in 1883. Executed on canvas, the work measures 83.5 cm in height and 103 cm in width. The composition functions as a group portrait and self-portrait, depicting both the artist herself and her husband, Michael Ancher, within a setting that includes a painting. The artwork entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains held.
Appraising the Day's Work is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it remains part of the institution's permanent holdings. The painting, created in 1883, depicts the artists Anna Ancher and Michael Ancher within a studio setting. While the work is documented as part of the museum's inventory, the provided records do not list specific accession numbers or detail a history of public exhibitions for this piece.
Overview
Anna Ancher's 1892 oil painting, Appraising the Day's Work, presents a dual portrait featuring the artist herself alongside her husband, Michael Ancher. This work exemplifies Ancher's focus on intimate domestic scenes and her perceptive realist style. As a leading figure among the Skagen Painters, Ancher was a significant Danish visual artist, and this piece offers insight into her personal and professional life within the renowned artistic community.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Anna Ancher (18 August 1859 – 15 April 1935) was a Danish artist associated with the Skagen Painters, an artist colony on the northern point of Jylland, Denmark. She is considered to be one of Denmark's greatest visual artists.
The Artist's Workshop
Evening talk
An Evening Party in the Artist's Home
Evening Talk
Sealing a letter with wax
Rahbek ved sin hustrus dødsleje
An Evening Party in the Artist's Home
Afteninteriør. Moder og barn
Frierens besøg
Concert in the living-room, sketch
The Danish portrait painter Bertha Wegmann at work- Appraising the Day's Work