The Retreat from Dannevirke by Niels Simonsen. A group of weary 19th-century soldiers struggles to haul a heavy artillery cannon through a thick, snowy landscape under a leaden winter sky.

The Retreat from Dannevirke

Niels Simonsen

1864 · Medium Not Listed

A poignant and masterful 19th-century historical painting of soldiers braving a winter retreat.

$129

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Where it works

A substantial, grounding work with warm, lived-in color — brings a composed sense of weight.

Often works in
Library · Living Room · Study
Placement
Reads best above substantial furniture or an open wall
Walls
Reads strongest when the wall gives it contrast
Color notes
Soft gray, Charcoal black

About the piece

Painted by Niels Simonsen in 1864, this dramatic work captures the grueling reality of the retreat from Dannevirke during the Second Schleswig War. The artist employs a masterful use of muted, earthy tones and textural brushwork to convey the biting cold and the physical strain of the soldiers as they haul their heavy equipment through a frozen, wooded terrain.

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