Portrait of Cecilie Trier, née Melchior

Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs a post‑impressionist approach, characterized by loose brushwork and a subtle modulation of color. The contrast between the dark attire and the luminous yellow chair, as well as the delicate rendering of light through the window, demonstrates a balance between realism and expressive color that marks the artist’s mature style.

The portrait was painted by Danish artist Bertha Wegmann, a prominent portraitist of the late 19th century. It entered the collection of Denmark’s national gallery, Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings, representing Wegmann’s contribution to Danish art history.

Wegmann, of Swiss descent, broke gender barriers by becoming the first woman to occupy a professorial chair at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Her work reflects the period’s interest in capturing individual character within domestic spaces, aligning with broader European trends toward personal, psychologically nuanced portraiture during the 1890s.