Literature: Jens Peter Munk, “Jørgen Roed. Ungdomsarbejder”, 2013, pp. 70–79, ill. p. 79.

Provenance: Merchant Julius Just, his auction Winkel & Magnussen 223, 1937 no. 172, ill. p. 13.

The present work is one of two known oil studies for “En Afsked paa Toldboden” from 1834 (66×82 cm, private collection), which is considered to be Jørgen Roed's breakthrough work. It was exhibited at Charlottenborg in 1835 as no. 76.

The present small study is highly similar to the final work.

A young man says goodbye to his family. He gives his father his hand in farewell, his mother and a young girl, perhaps a sister or girlfriend, stand behind. A porter carries the young man's luggage aboard. On the far left, a guard stands by his red painted sentry box.

In 1834, Kunstforeningen had invited 10 artists among others Jørgen Roed, C. W. Eckersberg, Constantin Hansen, Christian Købke and Martinus Rørbye to make a painting later to be disposed of by lottery at Kunstforeningen. Roed agreed upon the terms of Kunstforeningen and his contribution was “A farewell at the custom house”.

Why did he choose such an unusually genre motif? The custom house had a special meaning for the artists when they went on their Grand Tour abroad. Family and friends bid them a touching farewell here. “The sailing trip from Copenhagen's custom house was always the first stage of the journey south. For Roed and for his comrades, the place has thus been associated with the sadness of parting”. (Jens Peter Munk, p. 72).