This early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Alfred Broge (1870-1955) depicts a dramatic sky over Arrenakke Bakke, Denmark.
Moments after heavy rainfall, the light conjures a dark orange glow transforming the Autumnal plains into otherworldly topography. Sandy pits dent the landscape, shaded by passing clouds, while the ancient ramp-like form of Arrenakke Bakke culminates in a sunlit peak. A gnarled tree, battered by gales, obscures a partial rainbow. Arresø lake, a mere light blue flash on the horizon.
Broge preferred the unusual. His interiors, like Hammershoi’s, were abundant with aloof figures - the backs of necks more prominent than obvious narratives. The Danes do this more than any other nation, it’s like a secret society of quiet stories that you’re only privy to if you unlock the artist’s icy imagination. It’s rare to find such emotional distancing in warmer climates, such as Spain and Italy, where paintings are rooted in song, vibrancy and bravura. But here, within the introversion of a chillier land, emerges works that bury deep emotion under heavy topsoil.
Climbing to the top of that hill at Arrenakke Bakke provides a jaw-dropping view across the vast Arresø lake. Yet Broge pitches his easel here, looking up at it. This is an artist that strays from the obvious - paints a seated woman reading but hides the book. Paints a girl by a window but obscures the garden. We’re on the outside but perhaps so is he.
Signed/dated lower left and held within its original gilt frame. Areas of sand fixed into the paint, indicating he painted en plein air.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 56½” x 43½” / 143cm x 110cm
Year of creation: 1909
Labels & Inscriptions: Exhibition label from Den Frie - the Artists’ Autumn exhibition, established in opposition to the formal shows of the Danish Academy.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Canvas relined.
Artist’s auction maximum: £10,375
Alfred Broge trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and exhibited at Charlottenborg Palace.
Learn more about Alfred Broge in our directory.
We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
