Amager Bondedreng 1805 - 1808

Gerhard Ludvig Lahde created this print of an Amager Boy in Copenhagen. Lahde’s image speaks to the social divisions within Denmark at the time. The rural population of Amager was considered distinct from Copenhagen’s urban inhabitants. Here, Lahde emphasizes cultural difference, through the boy’s distinct clothing, as well as, the barrels strapped to the horse. Are these butter churns, perhaps? The image invites us to consider the economic relationship between the island of Amager and the capital city. The print presents a view of Copenhagen's hinterland, and it makes a certain claim about the economic and cultural relationship between the city and the country. Historical sources, such as, census data, trade records, and maps of Copenhagen, can help us understand the political economy behind this image, as well as, the social dynamics of the time.