Surprise 

Mårten Eskil Winge created this painting, Surprise, using oil paint on canvas. This charming scene, with its cherubic figures and lush florals, evokes a sense of innocence and abundance, reflecting a vision of childhood and nature idealized during the 19th century. The painting’s seemingly straightforward depiction of cherubs and flowers belies the complexities inherent in representing innocence and beauty. The cherubs, traditionally symbols of divine love, also speak to 19th-century views on childhood. Gender roles were often emphasized, with boys depicted as active and inquisitive, while girls were passive and innocent. The presence of specific flowers, each with its own symbolic language, hints at deeper layers of meaning related to love, life, and mortality. Ultimately, the painting invites viewers to contemplate the meanings we attach to beauty and innocence, and how cultural ideals shape our perception of childhood and the natural world. The artwork also speaks to the joys and anxieties associated with new life, while also revealing cultural assumptions about gender and nature.