Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve 1898 - 1902

Hans Smidth painted "Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve" using oil on canvas. Smidth, living through the 19th century, witnessed profound shifts in social structures and religious thought. Here, in a dimly lit room, a pastor extinguishes a candle before two young men. The scene is heavy with symbolism, set against the backdrop of a cross, suggestive of themes of sacrifice and spiritual transition. The act of blowing out the candle can be seen as the close of one chapter, the quiet anticipation of another. Notice how the subdued palette reflects the solemnity and introspection of the moment. Smidth captures not just a scene, but a moment of shared contemplation of past and future, inviting us to reflect on our own transitions and the weight of time.