Artwork

Peder Roed, maleren Jørgen Roeds fader

Peder Roed, maleren Jørgen Roeds fader, by Unknown, 1849
Peder Roed, maleren Jørgen Roeds fader, by Unknown, 1849

Peder Roed, maleren Jørgen Roeds fader is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

The portrait, titled *Peder Roed, maleren Jørgen Roeds fader*, is a mid‑nineteenth‑century black‑and‑white photograph. Likely produced around 1849, the image depicts an elderly man in a dark, high‑collared coat, his expression solemn and his facial features sharply defined by the low‑key lighting. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is identified as Peder Roed, the father of the Danish painter Jørgen Roed. His dignified bearing and pronounced facial lines convey a sense of paternal authority and the gravitas associated with the patriarch of an artistic family.

Technique & Style

The photograph employs chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts between light and shadow to emphasize texture and form. The dim illumination accentuates the roughness of the skin and the deep creases around the eyes and mouth, while the slightly faded edges suggest an early photographic process, likely a daguerreotype or albumen print.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1849, the image entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date. Its preservation, despite edge wear and fading, reflects the typical condition of nineteenth‑century photographic materials that have survived institutional care.

Context

The portrait belongs to a period when photography was emerging as a means of documenting individuals of social and cultural significance. As the father of a noted painter, Peder Roed’s likeness would have held interest for both family legacy and broader Danish cultural history.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known