Private Collection (acquired at Charlottenborg in 1900, thence by descent until 1987)
Sale: Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, April 23, 1987, lot 189, illustrated
Private Collection (acquired at the above sale, and sold, Christie's, London, June 15, 2005, lot 172, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale

Copenhagen, Charlottenborg, 1900, no. 122 (as Vesterbros Passage)

Steffen Linvald, Paul Fischer, københavnernes maler, Copenhagen, 1984, illustrated p. 30
Helge Carlsen, Billedmageren Paul Fischer, Copenhagen, 1991, no. 51, illustrated p. 79

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work on canvas has been lined. The painting is clean and varnished. A very healthy and bright image can be seen throughout. There is slight thinness in the coach above the horse on the right and in the black bonnet of the nanny pushing the baby carriage, but overall there has been no abrasion. Under ultraviolet light, one can see random dots of retouching in the sky, which probably diminish slight remnants of dirt and discoloration. In the lower center sky, above the houses in the distance, there is a damage of about 3 by 3 inches that has received restoration. There is another structural damage in the left side at the elbow of the coachman sitting on top of his coach, which runs through the right elbow of the gentleman with a bicycle down to his right ankle, and then horizontally for about 4 inches through the rear wheel of his bicycle. These two damages are isolated, and they are certainly not unusual for a picture of this scale. The work would improve if the restoration were continued and refined in some areas of the lower sky and in some of the thinness of the coach. However, the condition of the work is good overall.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Inspired by daily life in Copenhagen, Paul Fischer's street scenes display the vitality and energy of urban life that many of his contemporaries were exploring in Paris. Fischer had rejected the traditional curriculum at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen and aligned himself with a group of young artists that included Peder Severin Krøyer, Carl Locher and Laurits Tuxen. These artists heralded a new era in Danish art; their artistic style and subject matter were heavily inspired by their studies and the artists that they encountered in Paris in the late 1870s and 1880s, specifically the Impressionists. Fischer traveled to Paris from 1891 to 1894, and the influence of artists such as Jean Béraud and Gustave Caillebotte is evident in his oeuvre, quickly earning him the reputation of a painter of cities and particularly Copenhagen, but also those throughout Scandinavia, Germany and Italy.

Hvad er der på færde? (What’s going on in Copenhagen?) depicts the city’s cobble stone town square, the Radhuspladsen, an area close to the Vesterbro-Gade, one of the most animated areas of the city. The title offers no clues as to why a crowd has gathered around a stagecoach at left and drawing glances from passersby. However, the clouds parting after the rain, and the spring-like warm clothes allude to the April, 1889 christening of Prince Frederick IX, whichꦛ drew dignitaries and royalty to Copenhagen from all over Europe.

Fischer often used his family and friends as models and in the present work the artist's wife and his son Sigurd are recognizable in the foreground. Also recognizable in the background is the൩ Frihedsstøtten, the obelisk shaped monument erected by the peasantry inꦛ 1778 in memory to the abolition of serfdom.