Overlæge C.V. Zahrtmann 1930

Peter Ilsted made this portrait of Overlæge C.V. Zahrtmann using mezzotint; a printmaking technique that yields rich tonal contrasts and soft gradations. The colour palette here is limited but incredibly effective. The blacks recede, allowing the greys to come forward and shape the scene. Look at how Ilsted handles the light – it’s like he's sculpting with it. The way the light gently kisses Zahrtmann's face, highlighting the wrinkles and the contours, gives him a real sense of presence. The light suggests that he is bathed in a soft glow, possibly illuminated by a lamp. Notice the details on the spine of the book. It is an area of great clarity in the piece, a moment of focus that draws the eye. Ilsted's work is often compared to that of artists like Vilhelm Hammershøi, who also explored the intimacy of interior spaces and the subtleties of light and shadow. It’s all part of this ongoing visual conversation, where artists borrow, respond, and push each other to see the world in new ways.