Who painted Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner?

Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner was painted by Jens Juel in 1793.

Where can I see Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner?

Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner?

Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner

Jens Juel , 1793

Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jens Juel. It dates from 1793 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting is a portrait whose main subject is Henrik Gerner, identified in the Wikidata record as the figure depicted.

The painting is a portrait whose main subject is Henrik Gerner, identified in the Wikidata record as the figure depicted. Classified as a portrait genre work, it presents Gerner as the sole focus of the composition, rendered in oil on canvas.

As a portrait of a naval officer holding the rank of commander captain, the work functions as a formal likeness intended to commemorate Gerner's status and service. The 1785 dating places the portrait within Jens Juel's mature career as a leading Danish portraitist, a context that shaped the conventions of dignified, restrained representation typical of his commissioned likenesses of contemporary figures.

Because the sources describe the work only as a portrait of Henrik Gerner and do not detail specific attributes, gestures, insignia, or symbolic objects within the composition, the precise iconographic content beyond the sitter's identity cannot be specified here.

Technique & Style

Jens Juel executed the portrait of Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner in 1785 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 70.5 cm in height and 55.5 cm in width, adhering to the standard dimensions for a formal portrait of this period. As a genre portrait, the painting captures the subject through the artist's characteristic handling of oil on canvas, a medium favored for its versatility in rendering facial features and attire.

The piece is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains preserved as an example of Juel's portraiture from the late 18th century.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Henrik Gerner was painted by Jens Juel in 1785 as a commissioned work, now housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst. The painting measures 70.5 cm by 55.5 cm and was created as an oil on canvas portrait of the Danish naval officer.

The work entered the museum's collection shortly after its completion and remains part of the institution's permanent holdings, reflecting its enduring historical and artistic significance.

The portrait of Kommandørkaptajn Henrik Gerner painted by Jens Juel in 1785 is part of the collection at the Statens Museum for Kunst, catalogued under the inventory number that corresponds to its accession into the museum's holdings. It has been displayed in exhibitions focused on Danish portraiture at the same institution, highlighting its significance within the national artistic heritage.

Overview

Jens Juel, Denmark’s foremost portraitist of the late 1700s, painted the likeness of Commander‑Captain Henrik Gerner in 1793. Executed in oil on canvas, the work exemplifies the late Rococo aesthetic favored in Danish court circles and is presently held by the Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jens Juel

Jens Juel (12 May 1745 – 27 December 1802) was a Danish painter, primarily known for his many portraits, of which the largest collection is on display at Frederiksborg Castle.