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
Subject & Meaning
This composition presents a straightforward portrait of the child at a specific age, emphasizing his youth and engagement with reading material.
The painting depicts a ten-year-old boy, identified as the artist's son Holger, seated with a book. This composition presents a straightforward portrait of the child at a specific age, emphasizing his youth and engagement with reading material. The work serves as a personal family record created by Jørgen Roed in 1856, capturing the subject in a moment of quiet study or contemplation. The inclusion of the book suggests an emphasis on education or intellectual development within the domestic sphere.
Technique & Style
Created in 1856, The Artist's Son Holger at the Age of Ten is an oil painting executed on a panel support. The work measures 135 cm in height and 100 cm in width. As a formal portrait, the composition depicts a boy holding a book, rendered through the medium of oil paint. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1856 by Jørgen Roed, as indicated by the work’s inception date and the artist’s own dating of the piece. The work depicts the artist’s son, Holger, at the age of ten, rendered in oil on panel with dimensions of 135.0 cm in height and 100.0 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains as part of the institution’s holdings.
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.
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.
