Artwork
The Artist's Son Holger at the Age of Ten
The Artist's Son Holger at the Age of Ten is an oil painting by the Realist artist Jørgen Roed. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Jørgen Roed, a Danish painter active during the nation’s Golden Age, completed an oil portrait in 1856 that shows his ten‑year‑old son, Holger. The work belongs to the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst and exemplifies the realist approach favored by the artist.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a young boy with curled hair, his head rested on a hand as he gazes pensively to the side. He holds an open book, suggesting a moment of study or contemplation, while his turned‑up collar and serious expression convey a sense of youthful introspection.
Technique & Style
Roed employs loose, sketch‑like brushwork, particularly evident in the rendering of the hair and the sleeve, which softens the overall texture. A plain, unadorned background isolates the figure, allowing light and shadow—chiaroscuro—to model the boy’s face and the book, creating subtle depth within the realist framework.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑nineteenth century, the portrait has remained in Danish public ownership, entering the holdings of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Its provenance reflects the artist’s personal connection to the subject and the work’s continued relevance as a document of domestic portraiture from the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jørgen Roed (13 January 1808 – 8 August 1888), Danish portrait and genre painter associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting, was born in Ringsted to Peder Jørgensen Roed and wife, Ellen Hansdatter.
