"En gastronomisk samtale" 1811 - 1879

Peter Gemzøe made this print, "En gastronomisk samtale," in Denmark at some point in the mid-19th century. It depicts two men in conversation outside of a restaurant, with a woman visible in the doorway. Look at the visual cues that signify social class. One man is stout and wears a heavy coat and the other is lean, wearing a fitted jacket and stylish top hat. These signifiers would have been immediately legible to viewers at the time. We might assume that the stout man is a merchant, perhaps, and the lean man is of the gentry. In this image, Gemzøe deftly captures the nuances of social interaction and status in Denmark. Prints such as this one were widely circulated in newspapers and pamphlets and were aimed at a broad public. They offer us today a glimpse into the everyday concerns and social dynamics of 19th-century Danish society. By consulting historical archives and studying fashion and economic trends, we can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural context in which Gemzøe's art was created.