Vigilius Eriksen (2 September 1722 in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

– 25 May 1782 in Rungstedgård) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

painter. He was the royal portraitist to

Christian VI of Denmark Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...

Biography

He initially studied under Johann Salomon Wahl. In 1755 he was awarded a gold medal in painting at the

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Dan ...

, but was denied entry into the institution. He quickly developed a reputation for his portraits, and between 1757 and 1772 he traveled and worked in

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

where he became the imperial court painter. He painted several portraits of Catherine the Great, as well as other royals. After a number of lucrative commissions, Eriksen returned to Denmark to continue his work as a royal portraitist. He was now some years busy, painting several times Dowager Queen Juliana Maria and Prince Frederick. In the collection at Rosenborg are a few works by him: image in pastel of Juliana Maria; portrait of

Lorenz Spengler Lorenz Spengler (22 September 1720 – 20 December 1807) was a Danish turner and naturalist. Born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland he arrived at Copenhagen in 1743 and became a tutor to Christian VI of Denmark and later Frederick V of Denmark in th ...

an art

turner Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters *Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for turni ...

; one Caroline Mathilde with her son on her lap, attributed also Eriksen. Also a series of miniature enamel paintings that included ones of

Frederick V Frederick V or Friedrich V may refer to: * Frederick V, Duke of Swabia (1164–1170) *Frederick V, Count of Zollern (d.1289) *Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg (c. 1333–1398), German noble *Frederick V of Austria (1415–1493), or Frederick III ...

as well as Catherine the Great. Eriksen was recognized as a considerable portrait painter during his time. What is especially cherished about him was his excellent reproduction of his subjects. There were even enthusiastic admirers of him who compared him with

Titian Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian (Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, nea ...

: "You Eriksen even in just Rank must find - with Titian, Urbin, even with Angelo". The Academy, which in his youth had rejected him, he stepped not in any relationship, but he was pleased to be appointed as counselor like the Academy directors when they departed. In his last years Eriksen seems to have worked little. In May 1782 he was attacked by an inflammatory fever, which led to his death on 25 May. His widow, Ida Christine née Basse Bech, survived him for many years and died in 1809.

Sources

Biography
at the '' Dansk biografisk Lexikon'' * Leo Swane: "Erichsen, Vigilius"; in: Jesper Engelstoft (Ed.): ''Verdens billedkundst indtil 1800''; Politikens Forlag, København 1955; pg.247
Vigilius Eriksen
@

Kunstindeks Danmark ''Weilbachs Kunstnerleksikon'' (Weilbach's Biographical Dictionary of Artists) is a Danish biographical dictionary of artists and architects. The current edition, which is also freely accessible online, contains the biographies of some 8,000 Danis ...

External links

Vigilius Eriksen
@ Gravsted {{DEFAULTSORT:Eriksen, Vigilius 18th-century Danish painters 18th-century male artists Painters from Copenhagen 1722 births 1782 deaths Danish portrait painters Burials at Christian's Church, Copenhagen