Artwork

The Foundation of the Copenhagen Fire Insurance

The Foundation of the Copenhagen Fire Insurance, by Nicolai Abildgaard, unspecified, 1794
The Foundation of the Copenhagen Fire Insurance, by Nicolai Abildgaard, unspecified, 1794

The Foundation of the Copenhagen Fire Insurance is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Nicolai Abildgaard. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

The Foundation of the Copenhagen Fire Insurance is a 1794 painting by Nicolai Abildgaard, a prominent Danish neoclassical artist. It is housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a formal gathering of men in long robes, arranged in a half-circle around a central handshake and book-holding figure, conveying a sense of traditional importance and ceremonial significance.

Technique & Style

Abildgaard employed warm, golden hues and chiaroscuro to create depth and draw focus to the central figures, blending neoclassical composition with subtle rococo influences.

History & Provenance

Created in 1794, the work is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst's collection. Abildgaard, a versatile artist, also worked on royal commissions for Danish palaces.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Nicolai Abildgaard

Artist

Nicolai Abildgaard

Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard (11 September 1743 – 4 June 1809) was a Danish neoclassical and royal history painter, sculptor, architect, and professor of painting, mythology, and anatomy at the New Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen…