Artwork
Et ellekrat
Et ellekrat is an oil painting by the Realist artist Anton Eduard Kieldrup. It dates from 1861 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a dense stand of alder trees (Alnus), rendered as a contemplative landscape that conveys the quiet intensity of the natural environment. Kieldrup’s careful rendering of foliage and atmospheric depth emphasizes the stillness and latent energy within the forest, suggesting a symbolic meditation on growth and transience.
Technique & Style
Subtle tonal gradations and delicate detailing in the foliage suggest a restrained realism typical of the period’s approach to landscape depiction.
Executed in oil on canvas in 1861, the work measures 52.5 cm in height and 68 cm in width.
The handling is consistent with mid-nineteenth-century Danish landscape painting, employing smooth blending and controlled brushwork to render foliage and atmospheric effects. The composition emphasizes a dense forest interior, with tall alders dominating the scene and subdued light filtering through the canopy. Subtle tonal gradations and delicate detailing in the foliage suggest a restrained realism typical of the period’s approach to landscape depiction.
History & Provenance
Anton Eduard Kieldrup created the oil painting Et ellekrat in 1861. Executed on canvas, the work depicts a forest landscape featuring alder trees. The piece entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is currently held. While part of this national collection, the painting is located at Sønderborg Castle.
The painting Et ellekrat by Anton Eduard Kieldrup is held in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, located at Sønderborg Castle in Denmark.
It is accessioned under the inventory number associated with the museum’s holdings for this work, with dimensions recorded as 52.5 cm in height and 68 cm in width.
Overview
Created in 1861, this oil painting by Anton Eduard Kieldrup presents a quiet woodland scene. The canvas captures a stretch of forest dominated by alders, with a narrow, meandering stream threading through the trees. The work is part of the collection at Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst, offering viewers a glimpse into mid‑nineteenth‑century Danish landscape painting.
Context
Kieldrup worked during a time when Danish artists were turning toward the national landscape, documenting local scenery with fidelity. The focus on alders and a tranquil stream aligns with contemporary interests in rural simplicity and the scientific study of native flora. This painting thus reflects broader cultural currents that valued the observation of everyday natural settings.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Aften ved Bondedammen i Hellebæk
Aften ved Bondedammen i Hellebæk
Twilight Setting in a Wood near Iselingen Manor, Zealand
Sommerlandskab. Horneland ved Fåborg
Sommerlandskab. Horneland ved Fåborg
Skovlysning med kvæg
Stream through the Forest
Skovlysning med kvæg
Et skyggefuldt sted i Hestehave ved Frederiksborg
Der stille Waldwinkel
Opklarende vejr efter en regnbyge ved Gurre Sø- Et ellekrat
