En fisker 1882 - 1906

This print of a fisherman was created by Oscar Andersen around 1882 in Skagen, a Danish fishing village and artist colony. We see the fisherman gazing off to the side, his weathered face etched with the harsh realities of life at sea. The loose, expressive lines of the printmaking medium capture not only the physical details of his face and clothing but also hints at the social standing of working-class people in late 19th century Denmark. Skagen was a place where artists gathered to observe and represent modern life. The Skagen painters were interested in the lives of ordinary people, like this fisherman, and the social and economic conditions that shaped their existence. To better understand such images, we can turn to historical sources, photographs, and literature from the period. By examining these resources, we can begin to appreciate how this work reflects the social, cultural, and institutional forces at play in Danish society at the time.