The Art Historian N.L. Høyen 1868
wilhelmmarstrand
statensmuseumforkunst
canvas
sculpture
portrait subject
canvas
portrait reference
unrealistic statue
neutral brown palette
portrait drawing
portrait art
fine art portrait
celebrity portrait
statue
Wilhelm Marstrand's 1868 portrait, "The Art Historian N.L. Høyen," depicts the Danish art historian Niels Lauritz Høyen in a formal setting. The painting captures Høyen's distinguished presence, standing in his study surrounded by books and artwork, emphasizing his role as a prominent figure in the Danish art world. The ornate frame adds to the sense of grandeur and underscores the importance of Høyen's contribution to art history. This artwork is now part of the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst collection.
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Niels Lauritz Høyen was Denmark’s first art historian and taught at the Academy of Fine Arts and at the University of Copenhagen. He introduced order to the national collection of portraits at the Frede¬riksborg Museum and was curator of The Royal Collection of Paintings (later SMK). He was on the board of the exhibition venue “Kunstforeningen” and was Denmark’s leading art critic. Høyen defined, acquired, and exhibited what he regarded as good Danish art. A firm nationalist, he believed that art should serve the people and the nation, not just Beauty. Eckersberg was his hero, Abildgaard quite the opposite, and several artists were caught in between. C.A. Jensen, who painted the portrait of H.C. Ørsted (r), had too coarse and un-Danish a style for Høyen’s liking; he had to give up his career because of Høyen.
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