Exhibited: The Nivaagaard Collection, “Venskabsportrætter fra Rom”, 2016, Cat. No. 42, mentioned p. 62, ill. p. 62.

Provenance: Circolo Scandinavo / Skandinavisk Forening i Rom (Inv. No. AI 9).

Through his chairmanship in the board of Kunstforeningen (The Art Association) Councillor Michael Kiaer Raffenberg was introduced to many of the Danish artists of the time, and several of them became his close friends. One of these was Wilhelm Marstrand, who Raffenberg had come to know when Marstrand was young, therefore Raffenberg “[...] understood him as well as only af few.” (Michael K. Raffenberg, "Vilhelm Marstrand - Breve og uddrag af breve fra denne kunstner”, p. 9).

In this portrait of Raffenberg, Marstrand has depicted his friend with a serious look and well brushed hair. The portrait from 1846 is from Marstrand's second trip to Italy, where he stayed in the period 1845–48. According to himself Raffenberg tried not to comment too much on Marstrand's artistic qualities - due to a lack of professional knowledge - but in his introduction to a collection of Marstrand's letters, Raffenberg wrote about the outcome of his second stay in Italy (in Danish): “These years were of great importance for his development and future as an artist.” (Michael K. Raffenberg, ”Vilhelm Marstrand - Breve og uddrag af breve fra denne kunstner”, p. 9).