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Artwork

A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen

Christen Købke , 1838

A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen, by Christen Købke, oil, 1838
A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen, by Christen Købke, oil, 1838

A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen is an oil painting by the German Romanticist artist Christen Købke. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Købke renders the scene in a naturalistic style that balances realism with romantic atmosphere, using an expansive blue-green sky and harmonious colour fields.

The painting shows two young women standing on a jetty at Dosseringen, overlooking Lake Sortedam with a rowing boat and the Danish flag flying from a mast.

The composition includes a prominent red-white flag, a symbol of the national revival that characterized Denmark in the 1830s, and the boat that drifts away, suggesting themes of separation or reunion.

Købke renders the scene in a naturalistic style that balances realism with romantic atmosphere, using an expansive blue-green sky and harmonious colour fields. The work was painted in 1838 and acquired by the Danish state in 1839; it now belongs to the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

Technique & Style

Created in 1838, this landscape is executed in oil paint on canvas. The work measures 63.6 cm in height and 82.6 cm in width, presenting a naturalistic style that balances realism with romantic elements. Købke depicts the scene with a strong emphasis on horizontal lines, dynamically interrupted by the vertical flagpole and pier supports.

The composition features a dominant sky occupying more than two-thirds of the surface, rendered in blue-green tones that harmonize with the water. A central Danish flag provides a vivid red and white accent. The handling is characterized by simplicity and meticulous attention to detail, with figures shown from behind on a jetty observing a rowing boat, a motif that underscores the tranquility of the environment.

History & Provenance

The work was painted by Christen Købke in 1838 using oil on canvas. It remained in the artist's possession until the Danish government purchased it directly in 1839, after which it entered the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. The acquisition reflected the state's effort to secure a representative piece of the emerging Danish Golden Age landscape tradition.

The painting measures 63.6 × 82.6 cm and was created during Købke's stay by the Sortedam lake, where he observed the surrounding scenery and figures.

Context

Created in 1838, this oil painting is regarded as one of the most significant works of the Danish Golden Age. Acquired directly from Christen Købke by the Danish state in 1839, the piece exemplifies the naturalistic style characteristic of the period, balancing realism and romanticism. Unlike the works of Caspar David Friedrich, where figures seen from behind invite the viewer into a romantic consciousness, Købke's depiction of women waiting on a jetty serves primarily to underscore the landscape's tranquility and order.

The composition reflects a period of national recovery in the 1830s, utilizing the central Danish flag as a patriotic motif. Scholars note that while the artist claimed a dependence on direct observation without imaginative invention, the resulting image possesses a strong suggestive quality.

Legacy

The painting is recognized as a seminal piece of the Danish Golden Age, noted for its naturalistic rendering that bridges realism and romanticism. Its acquisition by the Danish state in 1839 and subsequent inclusion in the Statens Museum for Kunst collection cemented its institutional prestige. Scholars cite its subtle national symbolism and meticulous detail as influential for later Danish landscape artists.

Overview

This oil painting, created in 1838 by Christen Købke, captures a tranquil scene of Lake Sortedam near Copenhagen. Titled "A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen," the work exemplifies the Danish Golden Age of Painting, a period in which Købke was a prominent figure. It is recognized for its serene depiction of a local landscape, reflecting broader trends in German Romanticism.

View of the Bay near the Copenhagen Limekiln Looking North. A Quiet Summer Afternoon
View of the Bay near the Copenhagen Limekiln Looking North. A Quiet Summer Afternoon

Artist & collection

Portrait of Christen Købke

Artist

Christen Købke

Christen Schiellerup Købke (26 May 1810 – 7 February 1848) was a Danish painter, and one of the best-known artists from the Golden Age of Danish Painting.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen?

A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen was painted by Christen Købke in 1838-01-01.

Where can I see A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen?

A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen?

A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen is associated with German Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen?

Museum-quality prints of A View of Lake Sortedam from Dosseringen Looking towards the Suburb Nørrebro outside Copenhagen are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.