Artwork

Portrætskitse. Formodentlig kunstnerens søn Thorald Jerichau

Portrætskitse. Formodentlig kunstnerens søn Thorald Jerichau is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created around 1850, the work titled Portrætskitse.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1850, the work titled Portrætskitse. Formodentlig kunstnerens søn Thorald Jerichau is a modest pencil study held in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The drawing is attributed, though not definitively, to the artist’s son, Thorald Jerichau, and serves as an example of mid‑nineteenth‑century portrait sketching.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a youthful figure with short hair and a solemn expression. Rendered in a restrained manner, the study isolates the head and collar, suggesting an interest in capturing the sitter’s character rather than a formal likeness. The absence of background details directs attention to the facial features and the contemplative mood.

Technique & Style

Executed in soft, light‑brown pencil lines, the drawing employs a loose, rounded outline that defines the face while leaving much of the surrounding paper untouched. Subtle shading creates a gentle transition between light and shadow, reminiscent of sfumato, though the overall effect remains sketch‑like, indicating a rapid, preparatory approach rather than a finished portrait.

History & Provenance

The piece entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings as part of its 19th‑century European drawings collection. Attribution to Thorald Jerichau rests on stylistic comparison and familial association, but the lack of a signature leaves the authorship open to scholarly debate. The work’s provenance prior to museum acquisition remains undocumented.