plate no. 8166

Eggert Christopher Tryde, provost of Copenhagen 1838-1857

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigureclothingruffcrossmedal

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses Wilhelm Marstrand’s 1858 oil portrait of Eggert Christopher Tryde. Marstrand, a central figure of the Golden Age of Danish Painting, was trained under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg at the Royal Danish Academy of Art, where he developed a strong foundation in academic history painting and genre scenes (Source 2). While Marstrand is perhaps best known for his romanticized, joyous depictions of Italian daily life and festivities during his travels (Source 1), his portrait work adhered to the rigorous standards of the Danish Academy. The portrait genre in this period aimed for a recognizable likeness that served as a record of the sitter’s appearance, often commissioned by the middle class or state officials (Source 3). Marstrand’s approach likely combined the structural discipline of his academic training with the rich, layered oil techniques prevalent in Northern European tradition, utilizing the flexibility and depth of color that oil painting offers (Source 8).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Linseed oil or poppy seed oil	Primary binder for pigments, providing flexibility and rich color density.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes.	Odorless mineral spirits
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Earth tones, Reds, Yellows)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing.	Standard tube oil paints
Varnish (e.g., copal or damar)	For glazing and final protection, potentially mixed with oil for transparency.	Art resin varnish
Canvas or wood panel	Support surface.	Primed linen canvas or MDF panel

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a white or light-grey ground. Marstrand’s academic training under Eckersberg would have emphasized a solid, uniform ground to allow for the layering techniques typical of the period. A white ground is particularly useful for the Flemish-influenced translucent methods where the ground shines through semi-opaque light passages (Source 5). Ensure the surface is smooth to facilitate the fine detail work characteristic of academic portraiture.

underdrawing

Marstrand was an outstanding draftsman, a skill honed during his academy years (Source 2). Begin with a precise charcoal or thinned oil sketch to establish the likeness and composition. Given the academic context, the drawing should be rigorous, focusing on accurate proportions and the sitter’s recognizable features, as the goal of portrait painting is to achieve a likeness recognizable to those who have seen the subject (Source 3).

underpainting

Employ a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) technique. This involves painting the forms in neutral tones, effectively extracting red and yellow colors to establish value and structure first (Source 4). This method allows the artist to focus on light and shadow without the distraction of color, a practice common among old masters and consistent with the academic rigor Marstrand received (Source 4).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Used in the initial underpainting stages alongside black and white to establish shadows and structure (Source 4).

White

Lead white or modern titanium/zinc white

Active agent in highlights and mixing; reserved to secure transparency in shadows if using Rubens-style techniques, or used in the ground (Source 5).

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Establishing deep shadows in the grisaille underpainting (Source 4).

Reds and Yellows

Vermilion, ochre, cadmium variants

Applied later via glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and flesh tones, mimicking the tinting of an engraving (Source 4).

composition

While specific compositional details of Tryde’s portrait are not described in the sources, Marstrand’s general practice involved tackling difficult subjects with complicated compositions (Source 2). In portraiture, the composition likely centers the sitter to emphasize their status and likeness. The background and dress colors should be chosen to contrast with the sitter’s complexion, enhancing the visual impact through the law of contrast (Source 6). Avoid monotony by ensuring the background does not compete with the face but rather supports the predominating color of the complexion (Source 6).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the sitter’s likeness with precision, focusing on recognizable features.
Tip — Ensure proportions are accurate, as the portrait serves as a record of appearance.
Academic drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors; focus on light and shadow structure.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely before proceeding.
Tip — Patience is key; wet-on-wet application of glazes will muddy the underpainting.
Layering

refining

step 04
Glaze and scumble with oil to introduce red and yellow tones, particularly in flesh areas.
Tip — Glazing adds transparent color; scumbling adds semi-opaque texture. Use these to tint the monochrome base like an engraving.
Glazing and Scumbling
step 05
Apply flesh colors thinly, allowing the ground or underpainting to show through for subtlety.
Tip — Aim for the 'liquid eye' and subtle flesh coloring seen in Flemish masters, with little between the ground and the color.
Translucent process

finishing

step 06
Adjust contrasts between the sitter’s complexion and their dress/background to enhance visual harmony.
Tip — Use complementary or broken tones to make the complexion stand out without crudity.
Color Contrast

varnishing

step 07
Apply a final varnish, potentially mixed with oil, to unify the layers and protect the surface.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry to prevent cracking or yellowing issues.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to add color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing provides transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture, allowing the underlying structure to influence the final appearance (Source 4).

Translucent Flesh Painting

Painting flesh tones thinly so that the white ground or underpainting shines through, creating a subtle, lifelike quality similar to Flemish masters like Van Eyck (Source 5).

Color Contrast for Complexion

Selecting dress and background colors that contrast with the sitter’s skin tone to enhance the portrait’s effect, avoiding the error of assuming complexions are only red and white (Source 6).

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking (Source 4).
→Ignoring the law of contrast, resulting in a portrait where the complexion does not stand out against the background or clothing (Source 6).
→Overworking the flesh tones with opaque paint, losing the subtle translucency that gives life to the portrait (Source 5).
→Assuming a one-size-fits-all approach to skin tones, rather than identifying the predominating color in the specific sitter’s complexion (Source 6).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of Eggert Christopher Tryde’s appearance, clothing, and pose are not described in the provided sources.
·The exact dimensions and aspect ratio of the original painting are not provided.
·Marstrand’s specific pigment choices for this particular 1858 work are not detailed, though general period practices are inferred.
·The specific lighting conditions and background elements of the portrait are not described.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting — COLOURING A MONOCHROME↗
- Grisaille Technique — applied to Underpainting and glazing instructions.
The Practice of Oil Painting — THE FLEMISH SCHOOL↗
- Translucent Process — applied to Flesh painting and ground preparation.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Contrast in Portraiture — applied to Color selection for complexion and background.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand — part 2↗
- Travel and Style — applied to Contextualizing Marstrand’s romantic style and portrait practice.
Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand — part 1↗
- Academy Training — applied to Establishing the academic rigor and drawing skills required.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting — Portrait painting — part 1↗
- Genre Definition — applied to Defining the goal of likeness and record-keeping.
Wikipedia: Oil painting — Oil painting — part 1↗
- Materials — applied to General oil painting properties and materials.