plate no. 4869

Othilia, Julie, and Christy Marstrand (left to right), the Artist's Daughters

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigureschildrenclothinghairfaces

what to study here

It is a close lesson in building luminous skin and unified group form from soft edges and a narrow, low-contrast value range.

Look at how the painter keeps three similar faces readable with very little contrast. The vision analysis describes a mid-tone painting: darkest darks in the hair and in soft shadows on the lower-left of faces and necks, lightest lights on foreheads and upper cheeks, and a dark mid-tone sage-green background that lets the pale skin glow without hard separation. Squint and you get three face-shaped lights, one combined dark hair mass, and supporting fabric shapes. The center girl in teal is the entry point, and the eye then moves out to the flanking sisters in a staggered arrangement. Edges are the second lesson. They are soft throughout, and the brushwork is nearly invisible, so chin-to-neck and sleeve-to-dress read as form turning rather than shapes meeting. The rounded framing edge at top and sides adds to the intimate feel. Study how much light is held in the skin while the palette stays muted, and how the teal dress is the one distinct color note without outshining the faces.

key decision

The painter kept the whole image in a low-contrast mid-tone range with uniformly soft edges, so the pale faces read as luminous against a dark mid-tone sage background without hard separation.

recreation guide

Wilhelm Marstrand’s 1871 portrait of his daughters, Othilia, Julie, and Christy, represents a mature work from the Golden Age of Danish Painting. As a student of Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, Marstrand was trained in rigorous academic traditions that valued both genre scenes and history painting, though he retained a lifelong inclination toward depicting daily life and family subjects (Source 2). This portrait likely reflects the Romantic style’s emphasis on emotional expression and individual character, grounded in the artist’s documented skill in handling group compositions and complex figures (Source 2). The work serves as a testament to Marstrand’s ability to balance academic precision with the intimate, narrative quality characteristic of his genre paintings.

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (traditional palette)	Primary medium for the portrait	High-quality artist-grade oils
Linseed oil or oil of copavia	Medium for glazing and binding pigments, consistent with 19th-century practice	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Canvas or panel	Support for the painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or graphite	Underdrawing and compositional sketching	Vine charcoal or graphite sticks
Varnish	Final protective layer and tonal adjustment	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared with a traditional ground suitable for oil painting, likely a white or light-toned gesso to allow for the full range of tonal values. Marstrand’s academic training under Eckersberg would have emphasized a solid, well-prepared surface to support detailed work (Source 2). The ground should be smooth enough to allow for fine brushwork but textured enough to hold the paint.

underdrawing

Begin with a careful underdrawing using charcoal or graphite to establish the composition and proportions of the three figures. Marstrand’s training emphasized the importance of drawing as the foundation of painting, and his ability to handle complex group scenes suggests a meticulous approach to initial layout (Source 2). Ensure the positions of the figures are accurate and the relationships between them are clear.

underpainting

Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish the tonal values and forms of the figures. This technique, common in academic training, allows the artist to focus on light and shadow before introducing color (Source 4). Use a limited palette of black, white, and possibly ultramarine to create a range of grays. This step is crucial for achieving the correct chiaroscuro effects and ensuring that the final colors are applied with confidence.

color palette

Flesh tones

Lead white, vermilion, yellow ochre, and raw umber

General use in this artist's palette for skin tones

Dark values

Ivory black, burnt umber, and ultramarine

Shadows and dark clothing

Light values

Lead white and titanium white

Highlights and light areas

Accent colors

Vermilion, yellow ochre, and ultramarine

Clothing details and background elements

composition

Marstrand’s composition likely emphasizes the rhythmic arrangement of the three figures, using lines and forms to guide the viewer’s eye through the painting. His training in handling group scenes suggests a careful balance of vertical and horizontal elements to create a harmonious whole (Source 2). The positioning of the daughters may reflect a deliberate arrangement to highlight their individual personalities while maintaining a cohesive group dynamic.

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms and positions of the three figures using charcoal. Focus on accurate proportions and the relationships between the figures.
Tip — Ensure the composition is balanced and the figures are well-proportioned.
Academic drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting to establish the tonal values. Use a limited palette of black, white, and ultramarine to create a range of grays.
Tip — Focus on the light and shadow to define the forms of the figures.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin applying color in broad strokes, focusing on the main areas of light and shadow. Use a limited palette to maintain harmony.
Tip — Avoid overworking the paint at this stage; keep the brushstrokes loose.
Block-in

refining

step 04
Refine the details of the faces and hands, paying close attention to the subtle variations in tone and color. Use glazing techniques to build up the flesh tones.
Tip — Be patient and build up the layers gradually to achieve the desired depth.
Glazing

finishing

step 05
Add final details and adjustments to the clothing and background. Use scumbling to soften edges and create a sense of atmosphere.
Tip — Step back frequently to assess the overall effect and make adjustments as needed.
Scumbling

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and enhance the colors. Use a traditional varnish such as dammar.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before applying the varnish.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Grisaille underpainting

Used to establish tonal values and forms before applying color, a common practice in academic training.

Glazing

Applied to build up flesh tones and create depth, allowing for subtle variations in color and light.

Scumbling

Used to soften edges and create a sense of atmosphere, particularly in the background and clothing.

common pitfalls

→Overworking the paint, which can lead to a muddy appearance and loss of detail.
→Ignoring the importance of the underpainting, which can result in weak tonal values and a lack of depth.
→Using too many colors in the initial stages, which can disrupt the harmony of the painting.

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 about the clothing and background elements in the painting are not provided in the sources.
·The exact pigments used by Marstrand for this particular painting are not documented.
·The specific compositional choices made by Marstrand for this portrait are not detailed in the sources.

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 Techniques for grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Importance of understanding materials and medium

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand↗
- Early development and academy training — applied to Context for Marstrand’s academic training and compositional skills

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

Three young girls arranged in a slightly staggered composition face the viewer with calm, direct gazes. Light streams from the left-front, creating soft modeling on the face planes while the background recedes into a muted sage-green. The eye enters at the center girl (in teal) and distributes across the trio; their pale skin tones and dark hair create the brightest masses against the subdued background. The rounded framing edge visible at top and sides emphasizes the intimacy of this domestic portrait.

value structure

This is a low-contrast painting dominated by mid-tones. The darkest darks appear in the hair and the soft shadows cast on the lower-left portions of faces and necks. The lightest lights sit on the foreheads and upper cheeks where frontal light grazes the skin. The background holds steady as a dark mid-tone that allows the pale faces to read as luminous without harsh separation. To see the structure, squint: you'll see three face-shaped lights, a dark mass of combined hair, and supporting fabric shapes.

observed palette and mixes

#2a2e29
ivory black + burnt umber + touch of yellow ochre
darkest shadows in hair and background, definition of eye sockets and profile contours
#484734
burnt umber + yellow ochre + ivory black
mid-shadow areas on cheeks and neck, fabric creases
#646244
yellow ochre + burnt umber + titanium white
cool shadow undertones, background middle values
#917b5b
yellow ochre + titanium white + touch of burnt umber
warm mid-tones in skin and drapery highlights
#cda068
titanium white + yellow ochre + touch of ivory black (warm bias)
luminous skin highlights on foreheads, cheeks, and tip of nose
#5a8fa8
titanium white + ivory black + touch of yellow ochre (cooler)
the center girl's teal dress

edges and brushwork

Every edge in this painting is feathered and soft—there are no crisp separations between forms and background. The brushwork itself is nearly invisible; instead of visible strokes, you see seamless transitions achieved through patient blending and glazing. Even where geometry meets geometry (sleeve to dress, chin to neck), the painter has softened the edge so completely that it reads as form turning rather than shapes colliding.

a working sequence

01
Compose proportions and placement
Lightly sketch the heads and shoulders using burnt umber thinned with linseed oil. Place the center girl tallest in the frame with the flanking girls positioned so their heads create a gentle stair-step rhythm. Check that the three profiles maintain portrait proportions: the distance from hairline to eyebrow roughly equals eyebrow to nose base to chin. This is the scaffolding—don't erase it, just keep it light.
02
Lay the background tone
Block in the entire background with a medium value of green-gray mixed from ivory black + yellow ochre + titanium white. Keep it even and flat at this stage. Let it dry. This neutral ground will make your skin tones sing and provides reference for all subsequent value decisions.
03
Establish the hair mass and shadow planes
Use a size-6 round to paint the hair as a unified dark shape. Mix ivory black + burnt umber. Notice how the hair on the left side of each girl's face (from the viewer's perspective) is darker and merges into shadow; the back of the head is the darkest point. This shadow mass anchors the entire composition and defines the face boundary.
04
Block in the flesh foundation
Mix a base skin tone from yellow ochre + titanium white + a tiny touch of burnt umber and ivory black (keep it warm and slightly muted, not pink). Using a size-4 round, cover all face and neck areas with this single tone. Work wet-on-wet so edges blend into the background. Don't model yet—just establish the pale luminous area.
05
Model facial form through shadow layers
While the base is still workable, add shadows by mixing yellow ochre + burnt umber + ivory black darker. Paint the shadow planes: upper eyelids, the eye sockets (especially deep on the left faces), the sides of noses, and the lower jaw shadows. Blend these into the base tone so transitions are invisible. The center girl's face receives most frontal light, so her shadows are subtler; the flanking girls' cheek shadows are slightly deeper.
06
Block in the dresses and collar details
The outer girls wear pale grayish-lavender dresses: mix titanium white + touch of ivory black + tiny amount of yellow ochre. The center girl's dress is a distinct teal: mix titanium white + ivory black (to cool it) + a touch of yellow ochre (warm it slightly). The center girl also has a red-and-white trim at the neck—use a thin glaze of burnt umber mixed warm. Keep these areas flat and unblended for now.
07
Refine skin tones with glazed highlights and undertones
Mix a lighter, warmer highlight tone: titanium white + yellow ochre with minimal ivory black. Using a size-2 round, gently stroke this across the highest planes—center of foreheads, tops of cheeks, upper lip area. Blend the edges into the surrounding skin so there's no line. Then add cool undertones (mix titanium white + tiny touch of ivory black cooler) to the shadow side of faces and under the chin. These warm-cool shifts model the form without obvious brushwork.
08
Integrate clothing with soft edges and final glazing
Soften all edges where dresses meet background and faces by dry-brushing or glazing over them. Add subtle value variation to the dresses—slightly darker folds, slightly lighter highlights—but keep this very restrained. Finally, examine the whole piece for any edges that read too hard; feather them with a nearly-dry round brush. The final painting should feel like one soft whole, not separate objects placed together.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Painting skin tones too saturated or too pink. These girls' skin is earthy and pale, not flushed. Mix from ochre and black; let opacity and glazing provide the glow, not pigment saturation.
Stopping the blending too soon. Romantic portraiture lives in invisible technique. If you can see where one stroke ends and another begins, keep blending. Patience is the primary tool here.
Making the background uniform. Look carefully—it's darker near the edges and slightly warmer where it meets the hair. These subtle shifts push the faces forward.
Overworking the center girl's teal dress. The color is distinct and holds its own, but it shouldn't be brighter or more saturated than the faces. It supports the portrait; it doesn't compete.
Hardening the edges between faces. The flanking girls' cheeks fade into shadow against the background rather than stopping abruptly. This creates atmospheric perspective and intimacy.

measured difficulty