Artwork
Frierens besøg. Dragter fra Holbergs tid
Frierens besøg. Dragter fra Holbergs tid is an unspecified painting by Wilhelm Marstrand. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Wilhelm Marstrand painted *Frierens besøg. Dragter fra Holbergs tid* in 1849. The work belongs to Denmark’s Golden Age of painting and is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection. It illustrates a domestic encounter between a religious visitor and a family, rendered in a modest interior setting.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a friar, dressed in a brown habit with a white collar, seated at a table while two women—one in a dark dress with a white collar and cap, the other in a yellow dress—engage him in conversation. The scene alludes to the comedic dramas of Ludvig Holberg, suggesting a light‑hearted, everyday moment drawn from 18th‑century theatrical motifs.
Technique & Style
Marstrand employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, allowing a single light source from the left to illuminate the faces and create depth. The muted palette and careful handling of light and shadow give the interior a quiet, intimate atmosphere, while the brushwork remains precise in detailing the costumes.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑19th century, the painting reflects Marstrand’s interest in historic and literary subjects. It entered the national collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display as an example of Marstrand’s narrative genre works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolai Wilhelm Marstrand (24 December 1810 – 25 March 1873), painter and illustrator, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Nicolai Jacob Marstrand, instrument maker and inventor, and Petra Othilia Smith.
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