Interior of the Church of Saint Nicholas, Køge, Denmark

Carl Holsøe

late 19th–early 20th century

Oil on canvas

Minneapolis Institute of Art

An interior view of a church nave with wooden pews and a large window at the far end. Ornate wooden structures, including a pulpit and chandeliers, are visible. Danish artist Carl Holsøe devoted much of his career to painting atmospheric interior scenes with precisely studied light and harmonious colors. He mostly painted domestic scenes, but he occasionally studied church interiors. Here we look down the nave of the Sct. Nicolai Kirke (St. Nicholas Church) in Køge, a seaport 24 miles south of Copenhagen. Holsøe paid close attention to the effect of multiple light sources--some hidden--illuminating whitewashed walls, polished brass chandeliers, richly toned wooden pews, and worn stone floors. His work has often been likened to that of Dutch 17th-century artists, and this picture can be seen