Playing Children, Enghave Square

With a keen sense of social awareness, an unfettered grip on colour, and a vein of Impressionism that is firmly anchored in reality Peter Hansen depicts children playing outside his home on Enghavevej in Copenhagen.

Hand in hand, a chain of little girls surge ahead, trying to catch their friends. The dynamic movement is accentuated by abrupt cropping and flickering reflections in the girl’s faces and the new-leaved trees.

The painting's motif The scene is from Copenhagen, specifically Enghave Plads on Vesterbro. From 1905 onwards, Peter Hansen kept his winter dwelling on Enghavevej, and he found most of his urban scenes in his neighbourhood. Without any indignation, but with keen interest...