Thorvaldsen’s exhibition catalogue (1981), reproduced p. 21 and mentioned p. 22, where the art historian N.L. Høyen’s praise of the painting is referenced: “The old, friendly man sits quite content in front of his easel, surrounded by works of art. It seems as if someone has suddenly drawn his attention away from his work, but he is not so much gazing at a particular object, rather his expression is one of reflection on what has been seen. A complete sense of respite from his work has thereby settled in ... you cannot get tired of looking at this piece.”

Hans Edvard Nørregård-Nielsen, “Christen Købke. Omkring Kastellet”, Vol. I, 1996, mentioned and reproduced p. 52–53 under the heading “About C. A. Lorentzen”. The author describes the painting with great empathy: “Rørbye’s portrait of the old painter is a monument because the young man’s far-sightedness is mixed with the old man’s retrospection” ... ”Lorentzen sits in his worn-out chair and freezes“... ”the light from outside does not only touch him, it also reaches the eye-catching and almost luminous plaster cast of the Venus de’ Medici, which in this context emphasizes the point that life is fleeting and inevitably tied to death, while art remains and reaches into eternity“... ”One owes Rørbye a great deal of gratitude for this portrait; which is so formidable that without it, we would not have known as much about Professor Lorentzen and the period of transition that he represented at the Academy of Fine Arts."

Martinus Rørbye,“Det nære og det fjerne” (The Near and the Distant), exhibition catalogue 2014–2015 from Nivaagaard Museum, Øregaard Museum, Skovgaard Museum and Ribe Art Museum, mentioned p. 237 and reproduced p. 238.

Pictured: lithographed by Ad. Kittendorff. Ch. A. Been and Emil Hannover, “Danmarks Malerkunst”, 1905, p. 99. Karl Madsen, “Kunstens Historie i Danmark”, 1901–1907, p. 207. “Dänische Maler”, Leipzig 1922 p. 27. “De Smaa Kunstbøger”, 1933, vol. 22 p. 11. “Dansk Kunst”, painted reproduction in Politiken's magazine (1942), figure 4. Provenance: Purchased in 1828 by Frederikke Dannemand; donated to doctor Christian Fenger; his grandson, Professor Christian Barnekow (1837–1913); presumably his son-in-law, doctor William Edward Ove Hamburger (1863–1948); his son, doctor Christian Hamburger (1904–1992); Winkel & Magnussen auction 99, 2 October, 1931, no. 129a (not sold); sold outside of auction through Winkel & Magnussen, presumably to Consul General Johan Hansen; his auction part 10, Winkel & Magnussen auction 143, 27 October, 1933, no. 163 reproduced p. 4; purchased by the merchant Børge Strand; his widow, Esther Strand (1971).

An iconic painting that has rightly earned the prominence it has in Danish art history.