Artwork
Evening. Death and the Old Woman
Evening. Death and the Old Woman is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Laurits Andersen Ring. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Death is shown as a shadowy, semi-transparent figure standing behind her, his presence conveyed through subtle tonal contrasts rather than explicit detail.
The painting presents an elderly woman seated at the edge of a road as twilight falls, her head bowed in exhaustion or resignation. Death is shown as a shadowy, semi-transparent figure standing behind her, his presence conveyed through subtle tonal contrasts rather than explicit detail. The composition emphasizes quiet confrontation between life’s end and lingering human frailty, with the road serving as a liminal space separating the living from the inevitable.
Ring’s subdued palette and somber lighting underscore the theme’s gravity, avoiding dramatic gesture in favor of psychological weight. The work has been read as a meditation on mortality and the quiet acceptance of fate, aligning with broader Symbolist concerns about the human condition.
Technique & Style
The painting employs oil paint on canvas, measuring 121 cm in height and 95 cm in width. Stylistically, it belongs to a Realist mode, emphasizing unidealized human figures and subdued tonalities to convey psychological gravity. The handling of light and shadow is restrained, focusing attention on the central interaction between the elderly woman and the allegorical figure of Death, rendered through muted earth tones and soft modeling rather than dramatic contrasts.
The composition’s stillness and the quiet handling of the medium underscore the thematic tension between life and mortality without recourse to overt symbolist flourishes.
History & Provenance
The painting Evening. Death and the Old Woman was created by Laurits Andersen Ring in 1887. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 121 cm in height and 95 cm in width.
The creation date is established as January 1, 1887. The artwork currently resides in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
The painting Evening. Death and the Old Woman is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1887 by Laurits Andersen Ring, the work is executed in oil paint on canvas and measures 121 cm in height by 95 cm in width.
While the artwork's current location and physical attributes are documented, the provided sources do not contain specific inventory numbers or details regarding its exhibition history.
Overview
Completed in 1894 by Danish artist Laurits Andersen Ring, this oil on canvas presents a nocturnal tableau in which an elderly woman sits beside a lifeless body on a rural path. The scene is bathed in the muted hues of an evening sky, creating a contemplative atmosphere that invites reflection on mortality.
Context
Ring’s oeuvre bridges Symbolism and social realism, and this work exemplifies his interest in portraying ordinary people confronting universal themes. Produced during a period when Danish art was increasingly engaged with existential concerns, the painting aligns with contemporary European trends that used allegorical figures to explore the human condition.
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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.
