Artwork
The Painter Agnes Paulsen, the Artist's Sister, at her Easel
The Painter Agnes Paulsen, the Artist's Sister, at her Easel is an oil painting by Julius Paulsen. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays Agnes Paulsen, the sister of the artist, engaged in the act of painting at an easel, symbolizing her role as both muse and creative partner within the family circle. The composition emphasizes her professional identity through the visible easel, brush, and palette, suggesting a commentary on female artistic agency in the late nineteenth century. By positioning her within the domestic studio, the work elevates a private moment into a public statement about women's participation in the arts, aligning with broader Symbolist interests in psychological depth and the inner life of subjects.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, depicting Agnes Paulsen seated at an easel. The composition shows her holding a paintbrush, emphasizing her role as both subject and artist figure. The painting measures 30 cm in height and 25 cm in width, a format typical of intimate portraiture from the period.
History & Provenance
The work has been exhibited at Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen in 2014 as part of the exhibition Julius Paulsen – Malerier og tegninger.
The painting was produced in 1886 by Julius Paulsen as an oil-on-canvas portrait of his sister, the painter Agnes Paulsen, shown at her easel. The work entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is held as part of that institution's holdings.
The canvas measures 30 cm in height by 25 cm in width. No intermediate owners, commission details, or earlier provenance steps are documented in the available sources beyond the artist's creation of the work in 1886 and its subsequent presence in the Statens Museum for Kunst.
The painting is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.
It is inventoried as accession number KMS858.
The work has been exhibited at Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen in 2014 as part of the exhibition Julius Paulsen – Malerier og tegninger.
Legacy
The painting has been recognized for its nuanced portrayal of familial intimacy within the late 19th-century Danish art scene, contributing to renewed scholarly interest in women artists of the period. Its inclusion in major exhibitions has highlighted the role of familial relationships in shaping artistic practice, influencing contemporary understandings of portraiture and gender dynamics.
Overview
Created in 1894 by Danish painter Julius Paulsen, this oil portrait presents his sister, Agnes, at work at an easel. The composition captures a quiet moment of artistic focus, with the sitter dressed in a dark gown, hair pulled back, and a brush poised in her right hand. The painting resides in the collection of Denmark’s National Gallery, Statens Museum for Kunst.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Julius Paulsen (22 October 1860 in Odense – 17 February 1940 in Copenhagen) was a Danish painter.
