Artwork

Professor, dr. med. J.D. Herholdt

Professor, dr. med. J.D. Herholdt, by David Monies, oil, 1832
Professor, dr. med. J.D. Herholdt, by David Monies, oil, 1832

Professor, dr. med. J.D. Herholdt is an oil painting by the Realist artist David Monies. It dates from 1832 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

A medal with a cross sits on his chest, and his face has a serious, slightly tired look.

This painting shows an older man in a dark coat and white cravat. He’s resting one hand on a folded piece of paper, while the other arm hangs loose. A medal with a cross sits on his chest, and his face has a serious, slightly tired look.

The artist signed the corner with the year 1832. The man’s clothes and medal suggest he might have been someone important, like a doctor.

Next, check out Johan Daniel Herholdt to see who this portrait was of.

Overview

David Monies’ oil portrait, dated 1832, presents the Danish physician and academic Johan Daniel Herholdt. Rendered in a modest size, the work is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display as a representative example of early‑nineteenth‑century portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter appears as an elderly gentleman in a dark coat and white cravat, his expression serious and slightly weary. One hand rests on a folded sheet of paper, perhaps indicating scholarly activity, while a cross‑shaped medal on his chest alludes to professional distinction, reinforcing his status as a respected medical professor.

Technique & Style

Monies employs a restrained palette of muted tones, allowing the figure’s features to emerge through careful modelling of light and shadow. The brushwork is smooth, especially in the rendering of the fabric and the delicate rendering of the medal, while the background remains subdued, keeping attention on the sitter’s visage and attire.

History & Provenance

Signed by Monies in the lower corner with the year 1832, the portrait entered the national collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark’s principal art institution. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s 19th‑century effort to document notable figures in Danish science and academia through contemporary portraiture.

Artist & collection

Portrait of David Monies

Artist

David Monies

David Monies (1812–1894) was an artist, born in Copenhagen.