Artwork

Portræt af zoologen, professor H.N. Krøyer, kunstnerens plejefader

Portræt af zoologen, professor H.N. Krøyer, kunstnerens plejefader is an oil painting by the Realist artist Peder Severin Krøyer. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

By portraying his guardian, the young artist documents a personal connection while acknowledging the subject's status within the academic community.

The work depicts Henrik Nikolai Krøyer, a zoologist and professor who was also the artist's foster father. As a portrait, the painting focuses on representing this specific individual rather than employing complex allegorical symbolism or broader iconographic schemes. The piece serves as a familial and professional tribute, capturing the likeness of the scientist during the year 1868.

By portraying his guardian, the young artist documents a personal connection while acknowledging the subject's status within the academic community.

Technique & Style

Created in 1868, the work is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The piece measures 32 cm in height and 24 cm in width. As a portrait, the artist employed oil paint to depict the zoologist Henrik Nikolai Krøyer. The format is relatively small, typical for intimate studio studies of the period.

History & Provenance

Peder Severin Krøyer painted this portrait in 1868 as a tribute to his mentor, zoologist Henrik Nikolai Krøyer. The work entered the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst shortly after its creation and has remained part of the museum's holdings. It is catalogued as oil on canvas, measuring 32 cm by 24 cm, and depicts the professor as the central figure.

The painting is held in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is catalogued under the accession number for the work by Peder Severin Krøyer titled Portræt af zoologen, professor H.N. Krøyer, kunstnerens plejefader, created in 1868. It has been exhibited as part of the museum’s portrait genre displays, highlighting its depiction of Henrik Nikolai Krøyer.

Overview

Peder Severin Krøyer’s oil portrait, completed in 1868, presents the zoologist Henrik Nikolai Krøyer, who also served as the artist’s foster father. The work belongs to the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst and is rendered in a restrained, monochrome palette that emphasizes the sitter’s features.

Context

The painting emerges from a period when Danish artists were exploring realistic representation and scientific portraiture. By depicting a leading zoologist, Krøyer aligns his work with contemporary interests in natural history and the intellectual elite of Copenhagen’s academic circles.