View of Frederiksværk from Tisvilde Wood, North Zealand 1839

"View of Frederiksværk from Tisvilde Wood, North Zealand" is an oil on canvas painting by P.C. Skovgaard. Skovgaard painted during a time of strong national romanticism in Denmark, which followed the Napoleonic Wars and the end of the Dano-Norwegian union. In this landscape, we see how Skovgaard creates a distinctly Danish identity. The location is special, a view from the woods in North Zealand; a rural part of the country that provided resources such as wood and iron to the rest of the country. The cloudy sky and dense foliage evoke an emotional connection to the land. Skovgaard once said: "It is not enough to know nature, one must love it". Skovgaard’s work departs from traditional landscapes by focusing on the specific character of the Danish countryside, rather than idealizing it. His landscapes invite viewers to contemplate their relationship with nature, and with the cultural and national identity attached to it.