Artwork
The Raffenberg Family
The Raffenberg Family is an oil painting by the German Romanticist artist Wilhelm Bendz. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Painted in 1830 by Wilhelm Bendz, the composition focuses on the familial subject matter rather than allegorical or symbolic narratives.
The work is a group portrait depicting the Raffenberg family, specifically including the individual identified as M. Raffenberg. Painted in 1830 by Wilhelm Bendz, the composition focuses on the familial subject matter rather than allegorical or symbolic narratives. As a straightforward family portrait, the painting represents the domestic sphere and the social standing of the Raffenberg household during the early 19th century. The visual emphasis remains on the likeness and presence of the family members themselves.
Technique & Style
The Raffenberg Family is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard combination for Wilhelm Bendz's portrait practice. The relatively modest dimensions of 44.9 by 39.7 centimeters support an intimate, closely observed group portrait format. As a group portrait, the work is composed to accommodate multiple family members within a compact pictorial field, a handling consistent with early nineteenth-century Danish portrait conventions.
The painting is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst, where its oil-on-canvas medium and 1830 production date are documented.
History & Provenance
The work is dated to 1830 by the artist and by the Statens Museum for Kunst entry, which records its completion on 6 December 1830.
It entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, where it remains in the national holdings. The painting is a group portrait of the Raffenberg family.
Overview
Created in 1830, The Raffenberg Family is an oil painting on canvas by Danish artist Wilhelm Bendz. Executed during the early phase of Bendz’s career, the work presents a domestic interior populated by three figures, a standing woman, a seated woman, and a man, arranged around a modest array of furnishings, including a piano, a small statue, and framed pictures on green walls.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Wilhelm Ferdinand Bendz (20 March 1804 – 14 November 1832) was a Danish painter mainly known for genre works and portraits which often portray his artist colleagues and their daily lives.
