Jens Juel - Niels Ryberg with his Son Johan Christian and hisDaughter-in-Law Engelke [1797]

Jens Juel - Niels Ryberg with his Son Johan Christian and his Daughter-in-Law Engelke [1797], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

The merchant Niels Ryberg is shown sitting on a bench in the parklands of the manor house Frederiksgave on Funen, with his son Johan Christian and his daughter-in-law Engelke in front of him. The son makes a gesture with his hand, as though to show off the family estate. There is a strong feeling of harmony between the people and the countryside in which they are placed, and the picture reflects the new interest in nature that emerged all over Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It also, however, demonstrates how Denmark’s new rich of the time wished to carry themselves on a par with the dominant social group, the aristocracy. Ryberg and his son appear as distinguished as the many aristocrats that Juel (1745 - 1802) also portrayed.