C. W. Eckersberg (b. Blåkrog near Aabenraa 1783, d. Copenhagen 1853)
“Hertug Adolf, som afslaar Tilbudet om den danske Krone og anbefaler sin Søstersøn, Grev Christian af Oldenborg, til samme. Udført Skitse til et af de store Billeder malede til Trongemakket paa Christiansborg Slot”.
Duke Adolf declines the offer to be Danish King and recommends his sister's son, Duke Christian of Oldenborg for the job. A sketch for one of the large paintings made for the Throne Chamber in Christiansborg Castle. 1819. Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 46×39 cm. Period frame.
Emil Hannover, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of C. W. Eckersberg no. 240, mentioned p. 145.
Exhibited: Kunstforeningen, “Udstillingen af C. W. Eckersbergs malerier”, 1895 nr. 127, owned by Mrs Barnekow. Den Barnekowske Samling (The Barnekow Collection) 1921 no. 92. Statens Museum for Kunst, “Mellem guder og helte. Historiemaleriet i Rom, Paris og København 1770–1820”, 1990 no. 122.
Provenance: Winkel & Magnussen auction 62, 1928 no. 87, reproduced p. 9. A Danish collection of Golden Age paintings.
In a letter dated 24. 3. 1819 C. W. Eckersberg writes with humbleness to the King, sending him two suggestions for the decoration of the walls in the Throne Chamber at Christiansborg Castle: “Duke Adolf declines the offer to be Danish King” and “The coronation of Christian I”. “Duke Adolf” is a sketch for one of the four paintings the leading historical painter Eckersberg carried out for Christiansborg.
The decoration of Christiansborg was a challenge for Eckersberg. The King had made the commission. The architect C. F. Hansen was in charge of the artistic part. Denmark's official history writer Ove Malling was commissioned to help C. W. Eckersberg, so that the paintings were as historically correct as possible.
Please note: The item is subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. In the event of a hammer price of DKK 50,000 or more, including buyer’s premium, the buyer must submit a copy of a valid photo ID and proof of address in order to collect the item.
Danish and foreign paintings, 29 November 2010