An auction of historical paintings

Frederik Storch

The culture of Viking Age Denmark is represented with impressive force in Frederik Storch's large masterpiece “Thor Embarking on an Adventure with Asaloke, Roskva and Tjalfe” from about 1870. The slightly frightened facial expressions of the children suggest that the motif is meant to depict a scene from the story of Thor's visit to Midgaard. A poor farmer and his family allows Thor and Loke to spend the night in their cottage, and in return for this favour Thor slaughters his two goats, Tanngrisner and Tanngnjost. The next morning, however, his anger is awakened when he brings the goats back to life and finds one of them lame. During the meal the night before the boy Tjalfe has broken one of the bones and sucked out the marrow. As punishment Tjalfe and his sister Roskva are given as servants to Thor. They follow Thor and Loke to the castle of Udgaardsloke, a giant-king. The painting measures 151 x 185 cm. and was exhibited at Charlottenborg in 1870 (lot 1, estimate: EUR 20,000).

Johann Salomon Wahl

The pomposity of 18th century Court culture is felt in this grand, almost overwhelming (237 x 158 cm.) full-length portrait of Princess Louise (1726-1756), daughter of King Christian VI. The artist is Johann Salomon Wahl. Because of his versatility and eye for colour and contrasts of light and shadow, his life-like and consistent renditions of attire and textiles and not least because of the elegance and dignity radiating from the persons portrayed in his painting, Wahl was soon to become the preferred portrait painter at the Danish Court. He worked for the Court from 1722 to 1749 and painted numerous portraits, everything from miniatures to impressive, large-scale paintings such as this one.
Provenance: Schloss Marienburg, Hannover. This painting was transferred to the German Cumberland lineage when Princess Thyra was married to Ernst August in 1878. Princess Thyra's father-in-law was King of Hannover and it was he that built Schloss Marienburg. The Danish National Gallery is in possession of a smaller version of this painting, measuring 135 x 109 cm., inventory No. KMS 1616. (Lot 293, estimate: EUR 20,000-26,500).

Carl Anton Saabye

Taking leave of the dark age of the Vikings as well as the luxurious Court, we proceed to a perfect gem of a painting, made in 1848 by Carl Anton Saabye. It depicts the manor house Nørre Vosborg, located on the western coast of Jutland near Ringkøbing. The painting was commissioned by King Frederik VII and remained in his possession until his death in 1863. Nørre Vosborg was at that time owned by Andreas Evald Meinert Tang who made what was then a forgotten and dilapidated building the project of his life. He rebuilt, refurbished and improved the estate. He assembled its lands and tenancies and his straightforward hospitality and willingness to help others made the estate, once again, the centre of the whole district. This ambiance is clearly present in the idyll that surrounds the landscape and the persons in the painting (lot 52, estimate: EUR 10,000).

In keeping with tradition, this auction also features a number of works by famous Danish artists such H. A. Brendekilde, Peder Mønsted and Michael Ancher. The auction opens January 18th at Pedersholm in Vejle.