This early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Gustav Vermehren (1863-1931) depicts an older couple conversing on a countryside track.
Amid an ever-advancing web of emerging technologies, grimy industry, and societal challenges, Gustav Vermehren painted the world he wanted. Where rural communities flourished in self-sustained equilibrium, where modest families upheld traditional values, and where everyday conversations were given ample time to develop.
His Denmark was an escape that he returned to time and time again. Painting elderly couples reading in hushed cottages and tired old gents nodding off wearily by their favourite window.
Here, in this charming piece from around 1910, the light is exquisitely handled. Note the gentle glow emanating from between the trees. And the golden reflections in the uppermost puddles.
Signed in the lower right and held within a gilt frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 26” x 23” / 66cm x 58cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Labels & Inscriptions: Copenhagen framer’s label on reverse.
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £10,900
Gustav Vermehren was an eminent Danish painter of landscapes, interior scenes, portraits and figures. He was trained initially by his father, Frederik Vermehren, and later at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. His works convey a conservative view of Danish rural life and are naturalistic in their approach. He’s represented in various public collections.
Learn more about Gustav Vermehren 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.
