Provenance: Helga Ancher's estate (estate stamp on the reverse), not sold on the auctions after Helga Ancher.

Vilhelm Østergaard wrote in a letter dated 19th january 1923 to the author Henrik Pontoppidan (in Danish): “I can easily give the Anchers your regards. Michael Ancher honours me by painting my portrait. He even makes me rather content by saying that it amuses him to do it. Every morning I 'poses' for a couple of hours, while we are talking about old days and old friends. It is great fun because Ancher is talking all the time while painting”.

Vilhelm Østergaard was for years attached to the newspapers Nationaltidende, Dagens Nyheder and later Berlingske Tidende as journalistic employee. He was also a wellknown author. In 1878 Vilhelm Østergaard married Carl Locher's sister Elise Frederikke Theodore Locher (1855–1937).