Artwork
A Jutland Sheperd on the Moors
A Jutland Sheperd on the Moors is an oil painting by Frederik Vermehren. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
It represents the traditional life of the Jutland countryside, capturing the shepherd's routine activities amidst the open moors and sky.
Frederik Vermehren's 1855 oil painting, A Jutland Shepherd on the Moors, depicts a rural scene set within the Jutland heath. The composition centers on a shepherd figure accompanied by sheep and a dog, grounding the work in the specific geography of the region. The subject is shown wearing a kasket and engaged in knitting, details that highlight daily pastoral labor.
The landscape features heath vegetation, specifically Erica, under a sky filled with clouds. As a work classified as both a portrait and a landscape, the painting merges human presence with the natural environment. It represents the traditional life of the Jutland countryside, capturing the shepherd's routine activities amidst the open moors and sky.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1855, this work by Frederik Vermehren is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures 59.5 by 80 centimeters and blends portraiture with landscape elements. Visually, the piece depicts a shepherd situated within a heath environment, accompanied by sheep and a dog.
The figure is characterized by specific attire, including a kasket, and is shown engaged in knitting. The background features an expansive sky with clouds, establishing the Jutland moor setting. The inclusion of erica plants further defines the terrain.
Stylistically, the work merges the detailed rendering of the human subject and animals with a broader depiction of the natural surroundings, typical of the artist's approach to genre scenes during this period.
History & Provenance
Frederik Vermehren created the oil-on-canvas painting A Jutland Shepherd on the Moors in 1855. The work, which measures 59.5 cm in height and 80 cm in width, depicts a shepherd accompanied by sheep and a dog against a heath landscape featuring Erica and clouds. Currently, the painting is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
While the specific commission details and the full chain of prior ownership are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly dated to 1855, aligning with Vermehren's active period of portraiture and landscape painting. The piece remains a significant example of Danish Golden Age art, categorized as both a portrait and a landscape painting.
The painting is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. Created in 1855, the work depicts a shepherd within a heath landscape. While the available records confirm its inclusion in the museum's holdings, no specific inventory numbers, accession codes, or details regarding past exhibition history are provided in the current documentation.
Overview
Frederik Vermehren's A Jutland Shepherd on the Moors, painted in oil in 1855, captures a solitary figure within the expansive Danish landscape. This work exemplifies the realist tendencies of Denmark's Golden Age of Painting, where artists frequently depicted ordinary people and rural scenes. It reflects a national romantic sentiment, idealizing country life and contributing to the period's emphasis on national identity.
Context
Produced in the mid-19th century, A Jutland Shepherd on the Moors emerged from Denmark's Golden Age, a period marked by a strong focus on national identity. Vermehren, like his contemporaries Christen Dalsgaard and Julius Exner, turned to the lives of ordinary people, particularly farmers and shepherds, as subjects. These portrayals often imbued rural existence with a sense of national romanticism, celebrating the inherent character and landscape of Denmark.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johan Frederik (Frits) Nikolai Vermehren, also known as Frederik Vermehren (12 May 1823 – 10 January 1910), a genre and portrait painter in the realist style.
