Bærentzen’s Family Piece

Emil Bærentzen was a latecomer to art. After an apprenticeship at a pharmacy in provincial Nykøbing Falster he journeyed to Christiansted on Saint Croix (now part of US Virgin Islands) where he worked for a number of years at a governmental office. Bærentzen then returned to Copenhagen where he gradated from law school around 1820. From 1821-29 he attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen where he studied portrait painting. He also received private tuition under C.W. Eckersberg. Considered a very promising talent, Bærentzen received a travelling scholarship that took him to Germany and France

Emil Bærentzen soon became a cherished portrait painter and even established “Em. Bärentzen & Co.s litografiske Institut”, which became Denmark’s leading lithography institute.

Bærentzen was especially noted for his ‘family pieces’ in which he portrayed the domestic life of the Copenhagen bourgeoisie – a genre favoured by contemporary artists. The most famous painting in this genre is arguably “Det waagepetersenske familiebillede” (‘Family Portrait of the Waage Petersens’), which was auctioned at Bruun Rasmussen in 1997.

Emil Bærentzen’s family portrait evokes much the same sentiment as the Waage Petersen painting. The motif is one of quiet domestic life, characteristic of Biedermeier culture, set in a magnificent green living room with an open window artfully framed with peach-coloured drapes. And the view is unmistakable – the rooftops and buildings of Copenhagen give the image depth and offer a contrast to the tranquillity of the living room. The artist’s father, wrapped in a dressing gown, is seen reading while three women are busy with their needlework. The youngest of the family, a little boy, is dressed as a soldier.

The catalogued painting was exhibited at Charlottenborg in 1828 and at an exhibition entitled “De ukendte guldaldermalere” (‘The unknown painters of the Golden Age’) at Kunstforeningen in 1982. Other of Bærentzen’s ‘family pieces’ can be seen at the National Gallery of Scotland, the Museum of Copenhagen, and the National Museum of Denmark.

Auction: 28 April on Bredgade 33, Copenhagen

Preview: 23 - 27 April i Bredgade 33, Copenhagen

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