Artwork
Et besøg i et skomagerværksted
Et besøg i et skomagerværksted is an oil painting by the Realist artist Laurits Andersen Ring. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The kerosene lamp and pipe further anchor the image in the material reality of a modest workshop, where reading and labor coexist.
Et besog i et skomagervaerksted depicts a genre scene set in a cobbler's workshop, populated by a man seated at his work alongside the tools and trappings of his trade. The painting shows the cobbler, a kerosene lamp used to light the interior, a pipe, and a newspaper, specifically identified as Social-Demokraten, a Danish socialist periodical. The presence of the newspaper alongside the humble shoemaker's setting signals the work's social and political dimension, linking the everyday labor of a working-class artisan with the contemporary labor press of 1890s Denmark.
As a genre painting by Laurits Andersen Ring, the work represents the dignity and quiet interiority of ordinary working life, while the inclusion of Social-Demokraten embeds the scene within the social-democratic currents of its time. The kerosene lamp and pipe further anchor the image in the material reality of a modest workshop, where reading and labor coexist.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1893, this work is an oil painting on canvas measuring 94 by 120 centimeters. As a genre scene, the composition focuses on the interior of a cobbler's workshop, rendering specific domestic details such as a kerosene lamp, a pipe, and a copy of the newspaper Social-Demokraten. The artist, Laurits Andersen Ring, employs the oil technique to depict a seated male figure within this realistic setting, characteristic of late nineteenth-century Danish genre art. The canvas support allows for the detailed representation of the workshop environment and its inhabitant.
History & Provenance
Laurits Andersen Ring completed Et besog i et skomagervaerksted in 1893. The painting was created as an independent genre scene rather than a commissioned work, with no evidence of a specific patron directing its production. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK) in Copenhagen, executed in oil on canvas and measuring 94 by 120 centimeters, depicting a cobbler's workshop with a seated man, a pipe, and a kerosene lamp.
The available records do not contain specific details regarding its accession number or a chronological history of its public exhibitions.
Legacy
Laurits Andersen Ring's Et besog i et skomagervaerksted (1893) holds a place in Danish art history as an example of late nineteenth-century genre painting, with its meticulous depiction of working-class life infused with social realism. The work is part of the permanent collection at the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, where it continues to be exhibited.
The painting is noted for its technical precision and its evocative portrayal of light and atmosphere, particularly the interplay of natural and artificial illumination. Its themes of manual labor and quiet introspection resonate with later movements that emphasized social consciousness in art.
Overview
Laurits Andersen Ring, a prominent Danish painter of the late 19th century, completed Et besøg i et skomagerværksted (A Visit to a Cobbler's Workshop) in 1893. This oil painting exemplifies the realist tradition through its depiction of an everyday scene. It portrays a cobbler engaged in his work, illuminated by a kerosene lamp, while two other figures appear to be visiting, creating an intimate interior genre scene. The work is now part of the collection at Statens Museum for Kunst.
Context
Laurits Andersen Ring was a significant figure in Danish art, known for his contributions to both symbolism and social realism. Et besøg i et skomagerværksted exemplifies his realist tendencies, portraying working-class life with an unvarnished honesty. The inclusion of the Social-Demokraten newspaper subtly grounds the scene in the contemporary social landscape, reflecting the artist's engagement with the lives of ordinary people and the emerging political consciousness of the era.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Laurits Andersen Ring (Danish pronunciation:; 15 August 1854 – 10 September 1933) was one of the foremost Danish painters of the turn of the 20th century, who pioneered both symbolism and social realism in Denmark.
