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A Prehistoric Burial Mound by Raklev on Refsnæs, B255
  • Production Date

    1839
  • Type of Work / Object

    Painting

Explanation

  • Lundbye’s links with Refsnæs go back to his earliest childhood. As a young captain, his father was in command of the fortifications at the far end of Refsnæs and in 1810 married the customs inspector’s daughter in nearby Kalundborg. This is where Lundbye was born, and although the family moved, he maintained a link with the area by virtue of his grandparents. The reason why Lundbye felt especially attracted to the countryside at Refsnæs was that it was so unspoiled. “It is the Danish coast at its noblest, but also its wildest,” he once wrote. And from his drawings and paintings, it emerges that his fascination was also connected with the peninsula’s then very large number of ancient monuments. The national message of the picture from Raklev is clear: Denmark has a long history and an infinitely beautiful countryside.

Motif / Theme