Artwork

Thorvaldsen's Studio in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen

Thorvaldsen's Studio in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Johan Vilhelm Gertner. It dates from 1836 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts Bertel Thorvaldsen's studio at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, presenting the sculptor within his working environment.

The painting depicts Bertel Thorvaldsen's studio at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, presenting the sculptor within his working environment. By portraying the celebrated Danish artist actively engaged in his craft at this institutional setting, Johan Vilhelm Gertner's 1836 oil on canvas functions as both a documentary record of a specific creative space and a tribute to Thorvaldsen's stature. The studio itself, as the primary subject, symbolizes the productive heart of Danish Neoclassical sculpture, while Thorvaldsen's presence within it represents the institutional and artistic authority he held at the Royal Academy. The work thereby celebrates the intersection of individual genius and the academic tradition that nurtured it.

The painting is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst, underscoring its recognition as a significant cultural document of Thorvaldsen's legacy in Denmark.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1836 by Johan Vilhelm Gertner, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition depicts the interior of Bertel Thorvaldsen's studio within the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Physically, the artwork measures 830 cm in height and 980 cm in width.

As a painted representation, it utilizes oil pigments applied to a woven fabric support to render the architectural space and figures associated with the sculptor's working environment.

History & Provenance

The work was painted in 1836 by Johan Vilhelm Gertner, documenting the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen’s working space within the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. It was later accessioned into the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains today. The painting’s dimensions are 83.0 cm in height and 98.0 cm in width, as recorded in the museum’s holdings.

The painting is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it is also located. Created in 1836 by Johan Vilhelm Gertner, the work depicts the studio of the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen within the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The provided sources confirm its medium as oil paint on canvas and record its dimensions as 830 by 980 units. No specific inventory numbers, accession codes, or records of past exhibitions are included in the available documentation.

Overview

Johan Vilhelm Gertner’s 1836 oil painting records the interior of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s studio at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Executed during the Biedermeier era, the work presents a bustling workshop filled with unfinished and completed sculptures, a standing figure gesturing toward a half‑carved horse’s head, and assorted studio paraphernalia.

Context

The studio scene illustrates the Biedermeier period’s emphasis on domestic and professional interiors, highlighting the disciplined environment in which Thorvaldsen, a leading neoclassical sculptor, produced his works. The presence of classical motifs aligns with the prevailing artistic reverence for ancient Greek and Roman forms.