plate no. 8452

Herman Wilhelm Bissen, Danish Sculptor

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothinghands

what to study here

It shows how a portrait can be held together by three value zones and soft edges, with the gaze and lit face as the clear focus.

Study how the head is modeled with a small number of value zones. Light comes from the left and rakes across the forehead, cheekbone and beard, while the far side of the face drops into soft shadow. The background is a diffused olive-brown and stays darker than the figure, so the head separates from it through value alone, with no hard outline. Look at how the flesh sits in a warm middle range and the lightest notes are saved for the lit forehead, cheekbone and beard highlights. The figure turns slightly rightward, which gives the cheek and jaw planes a gentle asymmetry. The beard is built with directional strokes that follow its growth, mixing warmer and cooler grays. Brushwork is looser in the background and more controlled in the face. The garment is a cooler, slightly darker blue-gray than the flesh, so it supports the face without competing. The hands sit at the bottom of the frame and are kept secondary to the face. Copy the three-zone value structure first, then the edges.

key decision

Marstrand kept the background dark and diffused and lit the face from the left, so the head reads through value contrast and soft edges rather than outline. The darkest notes sit in the background and shadow side of the face, with the lightest saved for the lit forehead, cheekbone and beard.

recreation guide

This artwork is a portrait of the Danish sculptor Herman Wilhelm Bissen, painted by Wilhelm Marstrand in 1867. As a product of the Golden Age of Danish Painting, the work likely reflects Marstrand’s academic training under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, emphasizing solid draftsmanship and a balance between historical grandeur and observed reality (Source 8). The genre of portrait painting in this period aimed to achieve a recognizable likeness while serving as a memorial record, often commissioned by or for public figures (Source 4). Marstrand’s practice involved a transition from genre scenes to history painting, suggesting a compositional seriousness and attention to the 'vitality' of the medium rather than mere photographic deception (Source 3, Source 8).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	Artist-grade oil paints
Oil of Copavia (or modern damar/resin medium)	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper drying and transparency	Damar varnish mixed with linseed oil or a dedicated glazing medium
Linseed Oil	Standard binder and thinner for oil paint	Refined linseed oil
Mineral Spirits/Turpentine	Solvent for thinning paint and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits or turpentine
Canvas or Panel	Support for the painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or Thinned Paint	For initial sketching of the subject	Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared to accept oil paint, likely with a traditional ground. While specific priming details for this exact canvas are not in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques of the period involved preparing the support to allow for the 'fat over lean' rule, ensuring each layer has more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking (Source 7).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. This aligns with traditional oil painting techniques where the artist establishes the composition before applying opaque layers (Source 7). Marstrand’s academic background suggests a careful, structured approach to the initial drawing, consistent with the emphasis on draftsmanship in the Danish Golden Age (Source 8).

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow tones to establish the value structure and form. This technique is supported by Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method, cited as a standard for old masters, where the first and second paintings are done with these specific colors and medium (Source 1).

color palette

Black

Bone black or ivory black

Underpainting and shadows

Ultramarine

Natural ultramarine

Underpainting and cool shadows

White

Lead white or titanium white

Highlights and mixing tints in underpainting

Red

Vermilion or red lake

Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and flesh tones

Yellow

Yellow ochre or lead-tin yellow

Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and highlights

composition

The composition likely emphasizes the sitter’s status and likeness, consistent with the portrait genre’s intent to memorialize specific individuals (Source 4). Marstrand’s training in history painting suggests a formal arrangement, possibly utilizing chiaroscuro to produce gradations of light and shadow, enhancing the three-dimensionality of the figure (Source 5). The artist likely avoided 'meretricious' attempts to deceive the eye, instead focusing on the 'vital expression' of the subject through the medium’s inherent qualities (Source 3).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the portrait of Herman Wilhelm Bissen using charcoal or thinned paint to establish proportions and key features.
Tip — Ensure the drawing is secure but not too dark, as it will be covered.
Initial sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Focus on values and forms, excluding red and yellow tones.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to translate what would be left in nature without them.
Grisaille underpainting

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Then, begin glazing and scumbling with oil, applying yellow and red tones as they occur in the subject.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat; scumbling is semi-opaque. Use these to build color depth.
Glazing and scumbling

refining

step 04
Continue layering colors, adhering to the 'fat over lean' rule. Each subsequent layer should contain more oil than the previous one to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking.
Tip — Monitor the oil content in each layer to maintain paint film stability.
Fat over lean

finishing

step 05
Refine details and adjust contrasts. Pay attention to the simultaneous contrast of colors, ensuring that juxtaposed tones enhance each other’s intensity.
Tip — Use the law of contrast to harmonize colors inherent to the model (flesh, eyes, hair) with chosen background tones.
Color contrast

varnishing

step 06
Once the painting is fully dry, apply a varnish to protect the surface and unify the sheen. This step is traditional for oil paintings of this period.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build color and depth over a dry grisaille underpainting. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture, allowing the underlying painting to show through.

Fat Over Lean

A fundamental rule in oil painting where each layer contains more oil than the one below it, ensuring proper drying and preventing cracking.

Chiaroscuro and Contrast

Used to create gradations of light and shadow, enhancing the three-dimensionality of the portrait. The juxtaposition of tones and colors creates visual harmony and depth.

common pitfalls

→Applying layers with less oil than the previous layer, leading to cracking and peeling (Source 7).
→Attempting to achieve a photographic illusion rather than expressing the vitality of the medium, which can result in a 'meretricious' effect (Source 3).
→Neglecting the drying time of the grisaille underpainting before applying glazes, which can muddy the colors (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or being too timid with outlines, which can make the portrait appear stiff. Copying works like Reynolds’s portraits can help correct this (Source 2).

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 details of Herman Wilhelm Bissen’s appearance (clothing, facial features, pose) are not described in the sources, so the artist must rely on external references for the likeness.
·The exact background and setting of the portrait are not specified, leaving room for artistic interpretation consistent with Marstrand’s style.
·The specific varnish formula used by Marstrand is not detailed, though traditional varnishes are implied.

grounded in

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

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting and glazing techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on correcting over-modeling and outline issues
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of medium and avoiding deceptive illusion
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints — applied to Color contrast and chiaroscuro

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Context of portrait genre and likeness
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials and fat over lean rule
Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist’s background and style context

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

Light rakes across the figure from the left, creating a clear modeling of the face and beard while leaving the background a diffused olive-brown. The sitter's head and shoulders occupy the upper-center canvas; the eye is drawn first to the face—particularly the clear, direct gaze—then down the substantial beard to the hands at frame-bottom. The figure turns slightly rightward, creating gentle asymmetry in the cheek and jaw planes. The left side of the face (viewer's left) catches full warm light; the right side recedes into soft shadow.

value structure

The darkest notes sit in the background and shadow side of the face (deep brownish-gray around #3c3631). The lightest passages are the forehead and cheekbone on the lit side, and the white beard highlights. Mid-tones dominate: the flesh sits in a warm middle-gray (#998e89 to #a69f9c range), while the garment is a cooler, slightly darker blue-gray. Squint and you'll see three clear value zones: the dark background, the medium figure, and bright accent of beard and light-struck skin.

observed palette and mixes

#3c3631
Burnt umber + ultramarine + touch of black
Background, shadow side of face, eye sockets, beard shadow
#998e89
Yellow ochre + red ochre + white + touch of ultramarine
Mid-tone flesh on lit cheek and forehead, establishing form
#a69f9c
Yellow ochre + white + raw sienna
Lighter flesh on highest planes: nose, upper cheekbone, chin
#897668
Ultramarine + burnt sienna + white
Blue-gray garment; also shadow modulation in beard
#5e5443
Raw umber + ultramarine
Deep accent lines and creases in beard, eye definition

edges and brushwork

The painting uses soft, feathered edges throughout—no hard outlines separate the face from background. The beard is rendered with directional strokes that follow growth patterns, blending warm and cool grays to suggest depth and texture without overworking. Flesh transitions are smooth but not photographic; brushwork is visible in the background wash but becomes more controlled and subtle in the face, where soft blending preserves the gentle modeling of form.

a working sequence

01
Establish the warm ground and block in shadow shapes
Tone your canvas with a thin wash of burnt sienna and ultramarine to create the olive-brown background. Using the #8 filbert brush, block in the entire background and the shadow side of the face (viewer's right) with a mixture of ultramarine, burnt umber, and a touch of white. Keep edges soft—no precision yet. This warm-cool foundation will help all subsequent colors sit correctly.
02
Map the head structure and establish the lit plane
With a dilute mix of yellow ochre, red ochre, white, and a touch of ultramarine, lay in the mid-tone flesh covering the lit side of the face—forehead, cheek, and upper jaw. Use the #6 flat to keep strokes broad and directional, following the plane changes. Observe how the light wraps around the cheekbone; don't paint the whole face one color. Leave the darkest shadow under the jaw and neck untouched for now.
03
Model the facial planes with value gradation
Add white to your ochre-based flesh tone to build the lightest planes: the nose, highest point of the cheekbone, and the forehead. Use the #2 round brush to carefully blend where light transitions to shadow on the cheek—this is where the likeness lives. Notice the eye socket is set back; use a warm, darker mix (yellow ochre + ultramarine + burnt sienna) to define the eye cavity and anchor the gaze. The eye itself should remain a dark accent, not detailed.
04
Render the beard structure and texture
Begin laying in the beard with a mix of raw umber, ultramarine, and white, following the downward and outward direction of hair growth. Use the #6 flat with directional strokes; the beard is not a flat shape but has planes—warmer gray on the lit left side, cooler grayer tones in shadow. Leave gaps of the background showing through to suggest the texture and volume. Build form with overlapping strokes rather than detail.
05
Lighten the beard highlights and refine edges
Mix a pale warm gray (white + touch of yellow ochre + hint of ultramarine) and lay in the white beard highlights on the left side. These should be softer than pure white but noticeably lighter than the mid-tone beard. Use a nearly dry #2 round, letting the underlying texture show. Blend the beard gently into the neck and chin; soften the edge between beard and face so they feel unified.
06
Render the garment and establish color harmony
Mix the blue-gray for the shirt (ultramarine + burnt sienna + white, leaning cool). Using the #6 flat and broader strokes, block in the shoulder and visible chest, observing the folds at the neckline and along the sleeve. The garment should read as a cooler, slightly darker value than the flesh. Soften the shoulder edge into the background; use the #8 filbert dry-brushed to suggest fabric texture without overstatement.
07
Refine the hands and strengthen the composition
The hands holding the fabric at lower right are warm and lighter than you might expect—use the same flesh tone palette (yellow ochre + red ochre + white) with careful attention to the fingers' structure. The thumb and fingers should read as distinct forms but not laboriously detailed. Keep edges soft; hands are secondary, so they should be slightly less focused than the face. Use a dilute glaze of burnt sienna in shadow areas if needed.
08
Final adjustments: unify values and soften transitions
Step back and squint. The face should feel like one lit mass; the background should recede. If the transition from face to background is too abrupt, soften it with a dry #8 filbert and a neutral gray. Ensure the beard flows naturally from the jaw and neck—add warm mid-tone glazes if it reads too cool. A thin glaze of burnt sienna + ultramarine over shadow areas can warm them and unify the color. Final check: the eye should feel present and knowing, the beard substantial but not rigid.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Painting the entire face one flesh tone. The lit cheek and forehead are noticeably warmer and lighter than the shadow-side jaw and neck—this value shift is essential to likeness.
Making the beard too uniform in value or texture. Observe that the lit left side of the beard is warmer and more active in brushwork; the shadowed right is cooler and flatter. Directional strokes matter.
Overworking the background. It should remain soft and slightly diffused so the head reads as the focal point. Resist blending the background too smooth.
Neglecting the hands as a compositional anchor. Though secondary, they should be rendered with the same care in proportion and value as the face—they ground the figure and suggest the sitter's thoughtful character.

measured difficulty