Jens Juel (b. Balslev, Funen 1745, d. Copenhagen 1802)
Purchased by The Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle in June 2014.
Portrait of Edmund Bourke (1761–1821) count and diplomat in a dark green coat, yellow and green striped waistcoat, white stock and white pleeted shirt frill. Signed and dated Juel pinx 1785. Oil on canvas. Oval. 69×55 cm. Period frame.
Ellen Poulsen, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of Jens Juel no 329, the present painting is a repetition of 329 by Jens Juel with the same measurement and same colours.
Provenance: Bought at Christie's March 1967 no. 143.
Edmund Bourke was born at Saint Croix, the former Danish West Indies, his parents were Irish. He had a long diplomatic career. He was a diplomatic representative in Warsaw from 1790, later on in Naples, Stockholm and Madrid. Bourke was appointed peace negotiator during the negotiations between Sweden and England later between Russia and England and Spain. In 1814 he was sent to London to work as a diplomat, and in 1820 he went to Paris.
Edmund Bourke had good friends in Denmark. The Schimmelmann family and the archaelogist and numismatist Georg Zoega among others. Jens Juel painted him twice and Bertel Thorvaldsen made a bust of Bourke in 1801.
Please note: The item is subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. In the event of a hammer price of DKK 50,000 or more, including buyer’s premium, the buyer must submit a copy of a valid photo ID and proof of address in order to collect the item.
Paintings and sculptures, 10 June 2014