View of Sortedam Lake, Christen Købke, 1838

A quiet view of Copenhagen painted by one of the leading artists of the Danish Golden Age. Christen Købke’s 1838 painting shows Sortedam Lake from Dosseringen, looking towards Nørrebro. Two women stand on a small jetty while a rowing boat moves across the water beneath the Danish flag.

• Classic Copenhagen landscape by Christen Købke
• Painted beside Sortedam Lake in 1838
• One of the celebrated works of the Danish Golden Age
• Printed on premium 200 gsm matte paper
• Available in five sizes from 30 × 40 cm to 70 × 100 cm
• Made when ordered and produced locally where possible

A summer evening beside Sortedam Lake

Købke found many of his subjects close to his family home at Blegdammen, which was then situated outside central Copenhagen. In this painting, he looks across Sortedam Lake towards the growing suburb of Nørrebro.

Two young women stand on a jetty and watch a rowing boat moving away. The quiet water, carefully arranged shoreline and tall flagpole give the modest suburban landscape a sense of scale. Dannebrog introduces a small area of red among the cooler colours and connects the scene with the growing national consciousness of the period.

The painting has often been interpreted as a romantic sunset. Scientific examination by conservators at the National Gallery of Denmark revealed something more complicated: its colours have changed since 1838. The sky and water were originally brighter, and Købke appears to have painted a sunny summer day rather than the evening scene familiar to viewers today. Read more about the discovery in SMK’s research into the ageing of Prussian blue.

“We noticed that the colours along the edges near the frame were different.”

About the original artwork

Print quality and available sizes

The painting is reproduced on smooth matte paper, allowing the quiet blues, greens and reddish tones of the water to remain visible without reflections from a glossy surface.

• Paper: Premium 200 gsm matte paper
• Surface: Smooth and non-reflective
• Paper standard: FSC-certified or equivalent
• Sizes: 30 × 40 cm, 40 × 50 cm, 50 × 70 cm, 60 × 90 cm and 70 × 100 cm
• Inches: 12 × 16″, 16 × 20″, 20 × 28″, 24 × 36″ and 28 × 40″
• Production: Made when ordered and printed close to the delivery destination where possible
• Delivery: Typically 2–5 business days

A calm piece of Copenhagen

The balanced composition and subdued palette make this print suitable for a living room, bedroom, reading corner or gallery wall. Its connection to a recognisable Copenhagen landscape also makes it a thoughtful gift for someone with Danish roots or a personal relationship with the city.

Discover more works in our collection of Danish art prints. For a dramatically different view of Copenhagen, see C.A. Lorentzen’s The Most Terrible Night.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the scene located?

The view is from Dosseringen beside Sortedam Lake in Copenhagen, looking towards Nørrebro. Købke lived nearby and repeatedly painted the area around the lakes.

Is the painting a sunset?

It was long interpreted as a sunset, but conservation research found that the original colours had changed. The scene was probably painted as a bright summer day.

Who was Christen Købke?

Christen Købke was a Danish painter and one of the central artists of the Danish Golden Age. He is especially admired for his precise and intimate depictions of Copenhagen and its surroundings.

Which sizes are available?

The poster is available in 30 × 40 cm, 40 × 50 cm, 50 × 70 cm, 60 × 90 cm and 70 × 100 cm.

Is a frame included?

The available variants are poster sizes, so a frame is not included. Frames shown in interior photographs are styling examples.