Bybillede med rygende skorsten 1841 - 1847

Martinus Rørbye made this small graphite drawing titled 'Cityscape with Smoking Chimney' probably in the 1830-40s. The sketch shows a cluster of buildings dominated by a tall chimney expelling smoke, set against a soft sky. Rørbye's choice of graphite lends a monochromatic and hazy quality, emphasizing the tonal gradations and the atmospheric perspective. The chimney, with its stark verticality, divides the composition, contrasting with the more horizontal spread of the rooftops. The artist's approach here is structural, depicting the industrial presence as an integrated, if imposing, part of the cityscape. The sketch thus destabilizes traditional landscape values, and we witness the advent of modernity’s changing skyline. Notice the soft, almost cloud-like rendering of the smoke, mirrored by similar cloud formations in the background. This stylistic blending suggests an interplay between the industrial and natural worlds. This interplay captures a moment of transition, a visual encoding of shifting cultural values and the redefinition of the picturesque in an era marked by industry.