Refshaleøen. The Copenhagen Harbour 1907

Edvard Weie captured this view of The Copenhagen Harbour with oil on canvas. I imagine him standing there, the smell of the harbor mingling with the linseed oil on his palette. Look at the sky! It’s a gray, heavy blanket, mirroring the choppy water. There is a wonderful dance between the industrial structures and the natural elements. The artist uses short, choppy brushstrokes to create the impression of movement and atmosphere. Can you see how the strokes of the buildings and boats are more defined, giving them a solid, grounded presence? I imagine Weie being drawn to the contrast, finding a stark kind of beauty in the everyday. He is clearly part of a conversation with other artists who are wrestling with similar themes of modernity and change. Like them, he offers us a glimpse into a world in transition, capturing a moment in time with a painter's eye and hand.