Emilius Ditlev Bærentzen, usually known as Emil Bærentzen (30 October 1799 – 14 February 1868) was a
Danish portrait painter and
lithographer
Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German ...
, active during the
Golden Age of Danish Painting. He founded
Em. Bærentzen & Co.
Biography
Born in Copenhagen on 30 October 1799, Bærentzen served an apprenticeship at the pharmacy in
Nykøbing Sjælland but then travelled to
Christiansted on the then Danish island of
St. Croix in the West Indies where he worked in one of the government offices. Five years later he returned to Denmark and, after qualifying as a lawyer, moved into painting which until then he had practiced as a hobby. In 1821, he entered the
Danish Academy
Danish Academy is an independent organisation founded in 1960 by a circle of Danish intellectuals "to promote Danish esprit and language, especially within the field of literature". It has up to 20 members, currently 18, and is based at Rungstedl ...
where he studied under
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. He was awarded the little silver medal in 1826 and the large silver medal the following year. He soon became one of Copenhagen's most popular portrait painters. His paintings were characterized by an elegant but sober style, free of psychological trimmings in accordance with contemporary practice. One of his most successful works is the portrait of
Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard ( , ; ; 5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855) was a Danes, Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical tex ...
's fiancée Regine Olsen (1840).
["Emilius Ditlev Bærentzen"]
''Gravsted.dk''. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
Dansk biografisk leksikon, Vol. 3, p. 304, ''Gyldendal'' (1887–1905). Retrieved 19 May 2011.
In 1837, he began to specialize in lithography with H.L. Danschell who managed his deceased father-in-law's oilcloth factory where stones were used to colour the fabric. This led to the founding of a lithographic company, ''Emilius Bärentzen & Co.s litografiske Institut'', which later became ''Hoffensberg, Jespersen & Fr. Trap''. Bærentzen made lithographs of many of the period's most important figures. He continued to work both as a lithographer and artist until 1866 when he painted the portrait of
Cosmus Bræstrup for the Freemasons lodge in
Helsingør
Helsingør ( , ; ), classically known in English as Elsinore ( ), is a coastal city in northeastern Denmark. Helsingør Municipality had a population of 63,953 on 1 January 2025, making it the 23rd most populated municipality in Denmark. Helsin ...
. He died on 14 February 1868.
[
]
Selected works
Bærentzen was a very popular and productive artist. Among his works are:"Em. Bærentzen"
''Weibachs Kunstnerleksikon''. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
* ''Familien Winther'' (1827)
* ''Familien Tutein'' (1828)
* ''Det Schramske familiebillede'' (1829)
* ''Anders Ancker'' (1829)
* ''En 110 år gammel invalid'' (1833)
* ''C.W. Eckersberg'' (1835)
* ''Slotspræst Søren Schiødte'' (1836)
* ''Søren Ludvig Tuxen'' (1837)
* ''Adam Oehlenschläger'' (1839)
* ''Regine Olsen'' (1840)
* ''Augusta Nielsen'' (c. 1840)
* ''Johanne Luise Heiberg'' (1841)
* ''Frederik VI på lit de parade'' (1841)
* ''Christian VIII'' (1842)
* ''Dronn. Caroline Amalie'' (1842)
* ''Laurids Skau'' (1844)
* ''Johan Fr. Schlegel'' (c. 1847)
* ''Operasangerinden Catharine Simonsen f. Rysslaender'' (1844-45)
Gallery
File:Gerhard Christopher Schram (Emil Bærentzen).png, Det Schramske familiebillede (1829)
File:Søren Ludvig Tuxen.jpg, '' Søren Ludvig Tuxen'' (1837)
File:Bærentzen En gammel invalid. Portræt af en soldat 1828.jpg, ''En gammel invalid. Portræt af en soldat'' (1828)
File:Regine Olsen (Emil Bærentzen).jpg, ''Regine Olsen'' (1840
See also
* Peter Gemzøe
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baerentzen, Emil
19th-century Danish painters
Danish male painters
1799 births
1868 deaths
Danish lithographers
Artists from Copenhagen
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni
Danish portrait painters
Burials at Holmen Cemetery
19th-century Danish male artists