Artwork
En husmoder ved sin båndvæv taler med to børn
En husmoder ved sin båndvæv taler med to børn is an oil painting by Constantin Hansen. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Carl Christian Constantin Hansen painted *En husmoder ved sin båndvæv taler med to børn* in 1859. Executed in oil, the work portrays a domestic scene in which a woman works at a loom while speaking with two children. The painting belongs to the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a mother figure seated at a band‑weaving loom, her hands holding a red‑white strip of material. Two children, dressed in dark garments with white collars, lean forward attentively, suggesting a moment of instruction and familial interaction. The setting underscores the transmission of craft and tradition within the household.
Technique & Style
Hansen employs a careful handling of light and shadow, creating a subtle chiaroscuro that models the figures and interior objects. The palette is restrained, dominated by muted earth tones, while the red‑white strip provides a focal accent. Fine brushwork renders textures of fabric, wood, and the surrounding objects with realistic detail.
Context
Created during Denmark’s Golden Age of Painting, the work reflects the period’s interest in everyday life and national identity. Hansen, known for historical and literary subjects, turned his attention here to a genre scene that celebrates domestic labor and the continuity of cultural practices.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has remained in Danish public collections and is presently housed at the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s representation of 19th‑century Danish art.
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.
Grandmother with her granddaughter
The Knitting Lesson
A Knitting Lesson
En bondekone, som giver sin datter noget at spise
A Knitting Lesson
The Fortune Teller
Peasant Family
Saying Grace
En bondekone, som giver sin datter noget at spise
Old Woman Plucking a Cock
The Diligent Mother
En husmoder ved sin båndvæv taler med to børn