Karl Madsen, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of J. Th. Lundbye, 1949, no. 230.

Exhibited: Kunstforeningen, “Arbejder af Johan Thomas Lundbye”, 1893 no. 128. Københavns Rådhus (Copenhagen City Hall), “Raadhusudstillingen af Dansk Kunst til 1890”, 1901 no. 1186. Kunstforeningen, “Malerier af Johan Thomas Lundbye (1818–1848)”, 1931 no. 100. The Venice Biennale 1938, room 15, no. 17, ill. p. 112. Charlottenborg, “Kunstakademiets jubilæumsudstilling. Dansk kunst gennem 200 år”, 1954 no. 101.

Literature: Karl Madsen, “Johan Thomas Lundbye”, 1898, mentioned p. 200. “Kunst i Danmark”, third edition, “Malerier af Johan Thomas Lundbye”, 1931 no 47, illustrated. “Kunst i Privat Eje”, 1944, vol. I, ill. p. 148. Karl Madsen, “Johan Thomas Lundbye”, 1949, ill. p. 253 and mentioned p. 256 and p. 260.

Provenance: The painting was commissioned by Vice Admiral Jens Seidelin as a gift to his wife Lise Seidelin, née Bonnevie. Supercargo Theodor Ludvigsen (1893). Widow of Titular Councillor of State (etatsråd) P. C. Holst (1901). Farmer Wilhelm Holst. Winkel & Magnussen auction 51, 1927, no. 75, ill. frontispice, here acquired by manufactorer Knud and his wife Agathe Neye, their auction Bruun Rasmussen 409, 1980 no. 11, ill. p. 33. Bruun Rasmussen auction 627, 1996 no. 32, ill. p. 27. Bruun Rasmussen auction 718, 2003 no. 1546, ill. pp. 40 and 41.

During Lundbye's stay abroad, he longed for home incessantly. In July 1847, he had returned home to his “dear Denmark” joyful and happy, and he was not disappointed to see his native country again. He was eager to start painting again, and immediately went to Vognserup, which made him “overjoyed and perfectly happy”, and from there on to Kalundborg to visit his mother, who looked after the family's elderly. To Peter Christian Skovgaard (1817–1875) he wrote (in Danish): “I didn't work much, however, the fields [Vængerne] by the fiord and especially the Mill hill [Møllebakken] had occupied me quite a bit, from the last place I even thought of doing a painting, if not something very large, however, saw a nice little friendly view with 4 mills, which could vividly remind one of an unforgettable small mill painting in Rome by Brueghel. - No one has to worry about me, I have done no damage to the mood.” (Karl Madsen, 1949, p. 253).

On 16 January 1847, Lundbye writes in his journal (in Danish): “These days I am painting on a small picture from Møllebakken near Kallundborg. I have started this on an old piece of canvas which, after three discarded paintings, has retained a number of knots and roughness, which clearly manifest themselves under this fourth. I have done that with diligence - it forces a beautiful powerful treatment, on which I will equally indulge myself, as on the extreme delicacy in the tones.”

(Diary notes quoted after Johan Thomas Lundbye's journals “Kilder til Dansk Kunsthistorie” (ktdk.dk), (Primary Sources in Danish Art History) by MA and PhD in art history Jesper Svenningsen and published by the The New Carlsberg Foundation).

The New Carlsberg Glyptotek owns a study of “Møllebakken” with the dimensions 23.5×32.5 cm (Inv. No. MIN 3114), acquired at Bruun Rasmussen auction 410, 1980 no. 34.