Kirsten Svendsdatter Finds the Gold Horn at Gallehus on 20 July 1639 1859

Niels Simonsen's "Kirsten Svendsdatter Finds the Gold Horn at Gallehus on 20 July 1639" (1859) depicts a historical event. The painting shows the discovery of the Gallehus Horns, a pair of large, decorated gold horns found in Denmark, in a Romantic style, with a dramatic use of light and shadow. The scene is set in a rural landscape, and the viewer is drawn to the central figure of Kirsten Svendsdatter, who holds one of the horns. Simonsen creates a sense of awe and wonder through his depiction of the discovery, capturing the moment of the revelation. This historical painting, now housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, exemplifies the nationalistic sentiment prevalent in 19th-century Danish art.