This fine early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Sophus Vermehren (1866-1950) depicts a kitchen interior with a seated older gentleman and three children. It was shown at the prestigious Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition in 1912. Vermehren was an accomplished academy-exhibited painter predominantly known for genre scenes and portraits.

Titled ‘En Almisse’, this piece is a witty play on the term ‘An Alms’ - as in a gift to the needy. The children are queuing in the hope of fresh bread dunked into hot soup. The main figure bears a passing resemblance to Sophus’ father, the artist Frederik Vermehren (1823-1910) so it’s potentially an homage. He died two years prior, but it’s plausible that it was produced from sketches.

Sophus was a master of interiors and captured the minutiae of this kitchen with careful consideration. Note the details on the back wall - the spoon rack, various utensils, and plates. Each illuminated by the light from a hidden window. He was initially trained by his father before enrolling at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In 1900, he was awarded the Eckersberg Medal.

Monogrammed and held in a later gilt frame. 

Learn more about Sophus Vermehren in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 41” x 43½” / 104cm x 110cm
Year of creation: 1912
Labels & Inscriptions: Charlottenborg Spring exhibition label (1912) / Supplier’s label.
Provenance: Old Art Antiques Sale, Kunsthallen Art Auctions, Copenhagen, 13 November 1991, lot 156 (sold for 20,000 DKK) / Private collection, UK.
Exhibited: Copenhagen, Charlottenborg Spring, 1912, no. 846.
Condition: Cleaned. Craquelure in areas. The paint layer is stable. Frame with various marks and showing its age. The canvas was extended by the artist to the right and bottom.
Artist’s auction maximum: £16,532 for ‘A Young Student Shows A Girl The Antique Collection At The National Gallery Of Denmark’, Oil on canvas, Copenhagen, Denmark, 28 May 2019 (lot 118).
Our reference: BRV2026