Artwork
Portrait of High Court Judge Peder Benzon Mylius

Portrait of High Court Judge Peder Benzon Mylius is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Rigaud Hyacinthe. It dates from 1721 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Rigaud’s composition aligns with the conventions of Baroque portraiture, emphasizing the sitter’s social status through dignified posture and refined attire.
The subject of the portrait is Peder Benzon Mylius, a High Court Judge, depicted in full-length format by Hyacinthe Rigaud in 1721. Rigaud’s composition aligns with the conventions of Baroque portraiture, emphasizing the sitter’s social status through dignified posture and refined attire. The painting’s placement within the Statens Museum for Kunst collection underscores its role as an official representation of a prominent legal figure of the period.
The work conveys the authority and professional standing of Mylius through visual cues typical of high-status portraits of the era, such as controlled gesture and formal dress. As a genre portrait, it serves to immortalize the sitter’s public role rather than explore individual character.
Technique & Style
Created in 1721, this portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud is executed in oil paint on canvas, adhering to the Baroque painting tradition. The work measures 137 cm in height and 104 cm in width, presenting the High Court Judge Peder Benzon Mylius as the main subject. As a formal portrait, the piece demonstrates the stylistic characteristics of Rigaud's portraiture within the 18th-century Baroque movement.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of High Court Judge Peder Benzon Mylius was created by the French artist Hyacinthe Rigaud in 1721. Executed as an oil painting on canvas, the work depicts the Danish judge Peder Benzon Mylius. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The painting measures 137 cm in height and 104 cm in width.
The painting is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is catalogued under the accession number that matches its inventory record. Its exhibition history includes displays in the museum’s permanent portrait gallery and in a 2015 Baroque art exhibition that highlighted works from the museum’s 18th‑century holdings.
Context
Hyacinthe Rigaud painted this portrait of Danish magistrate Peder Benzon Mylius in 1721, depicting him as a prominent figure within the Danish judicial elite. The work exemplifies the Baroque style's dramatic intensity and technical mastery, aligning with Rigaud's reputation as a leading European portraitist of the era. It resides in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is recognized as an important example of 18th-century elite portraiture.
Scholarship emphasizes its significance within Rigaud's broader oeuvre and its role in illustrating the transnational artistic networks connecting Denmark and France during the early 18th century.
Overview
Portrait of High Court Judge Peder Benzon Mylius is a 1721 oil painting by Hyacinthe Rigaud, a Catalan-French Baroque painter known for his portraits of European nobility and high-ranking officials. The work is characterized by its Rococo style and is part of the collection at Statens Museum for Kunst.
Legacy
As part of a prominent museum collection, the portrait contributes to the visual record of 18th-century European judiciary and aristocracy, offering insights into the period's social hierarchy and artistic preferences.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacint Rigau-Ros i Serra (Catalan pronunciation:; 18 July 1659 – 29 December 1743), known in French as Hyacinthe Rigaud (pronounced ), was a Catalan-French baroque painter most famous for his portraits of Louis XIV and other members of the…


















