plate no. 8540

Portrait of B.S. Ingemann

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanbookstableinterior

recreation guide

Wilhelm Marstrand’s 'Portrait of B.S. Ingemann' (1860) is a work from the Golden Age of Danish Painting, a period in which Marstrand was a renowned figure. As a portrait, its primary intent is to achieve a recognizable likeness of the sitter, serving as a record of their appearance (Source 3). Marstrand, trained under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg at the Royal Danish Academy, possessed strong skills in depicting daily life and middle-class society, though he also pursued history painting (Source 6). The artwork is executed in oil on canvas, a medium that offers greater flexibility, richer color density, and the ability to work in layers compared to earlier tempera techniques (Source 5). The style aligns with Romanticism, where the artist’s emotional response and the 'artistic accuracy' of conveying sensation are prioritized over mere scientific precision (Source 8).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

7 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigments)	Primary medium for color application	—
Linseed or Poppy oil	Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and drying time control	Cold-pressed linseed oil or poppy seed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Canvas	Support surface	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Varnish (optional for glazing)	Mixed with oil for glazing layers to increase transparency and depth	Dammar varnish or resin-based painting medium
Black, Ultramarine, White	Core pigments for the initial monochrome underpainting (grisaille)	Ivory black or Mars black, Ultramarine blue, Titanium or Lead white
Red and Yellow earths/ochres	For glazing and scumbling to introduce local color and warmth	Red ochre, Yellow ochre, Venetian red

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming recipes for Marstrand are not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period involved preparing a surface that could accept oil layers. The artist likely used a white or light-toned ground to facilitate the layering techniques described in the sources, particularly if employing glazing methods that rely on light reflection from the underlayer (Source 5).

underdrawing

Marstrand was trained in the academic tradition under Eckersberg, which emphasized rigorous drawing skills. The sources suggest that drawing should be 'highly finished' to acquire the habit of minute visual expression, allowing the artist to focus on bigger qualities during the emotional stimulus of painting (Source 8). Therefore, a precise underdrawing capturing the likeness and form is essential, as artistic accuracy depends on conveying the emotional significance of the form rather than just commonplace appearance (Source 8).

underpainting

The technique likely involves a monochrome underpainting, or grisaille. The sources describe a method where the artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these colors were not present (Source 1). This initial layer is executed in black, ultramarine, and white, using oil of copavia or similar medium (Source 1). This establishes the tonal values and forms before color is introduced.

color palette

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Underpainting (grisaille) and shadows

Ultramarine

Ultramarine blue

Underpainting (grisaille) to provide cool tones and depth

White

Lead white or Titanium white

Underpainting (grisaille) and highlights

Red Ochre/Venetian Red

Natural or burnt red earths

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and flesh tones

Yellow Ochre

Natural yellow earths

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and local color

Transparent Glazes

Red and yellow pigments mixed with oil/varnish

Adding color depth and luminosity over the dry grisaille

composition

As a portrait, the composition is centered on achieving a likeness of the sitter, B.S. Ingemann (Source 3). Marstrand’s general practice involved depicting subjects with a focus on their character and social context, often drawing from his observations of middle-class society (Source 6). The composition likely balances the inherent colors of the flesh and hair with chosen colors for draperies and background, adhering to the principle that some colors are fixed by the model while others are at the painter’s choice (Source 4).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Create a precise drawing of the sitter on the prepared canvas, focusing on the likeness and form. Ensure the drawing captures the emotional significance of the subject, not just scientific accuracy.
Tip — Aim for a highly finished drawing to allow freedom in later stages.
Academic Drawing

underpainting

step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil (e.g., copavia or linseed) to create a monochrome grisaille. Paint the entire composition in this underpainting, establishing all tonal values and forms. Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on what remains in nature without them.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is quite dry before proceeding to color layers.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply transparent glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil or a mix of varnish and oil. Treat this step like tinting an engraving with watercolors, allowing the underlying monochrome to show through.
Tip — Glazing adds depth and luminosity; apply thin, transparent layers.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and introduce cooler colors or highlights. Scumbling over darker grounds can create a grey bloom or coldness, which may be desirable for certain effects.
Tip — Watch for the underlying painting showing through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling
step 05
Adjust colors based on the laws of simultaneous contrast. Be aware that adjacent colors will influence each other’s appearance. The lightest tone will be lowered and the darkest heightened. Correct for mixed contrast effects where the eye may perceive complementary colors due to fatigue.
Tip — Step back frequently to assess color interactions and avoid inaccuracies caused by visual fatigue.
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 06
Finalize the likeness and details. Ensure the portrait serves as a recognizable record of the sitter’s appearance. Harmonize the inherent colors of the flesh and hair with the chosen background and drapery colors.
Tip — Focus on the emotional accuracy of the expression and form.
Portrait Likeness

varnishing

step 07
Apply a protective varnish if desired, using a resin-based medium. This can enhance the depth and protection of the oil layers.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build color and depth over a monochrome underpainting. Glazing involves transparent coats of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlayer to show through. This method was practiced by old masters and is effective for achieving rich, luminous colors.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. The artist must account for this to accurately represent the model’s colors and avoid visual inaccuracies caused by eye fatigue.

Artistic Accuracy

Prioritizing the emotional significance and sensation of the subject over mere scientific precision. This aligns with the Romantic style and Marstrand’s academic training.

common pitfalls

→Applying color layers before the grisaille is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and loss of clarity (Source 1).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color representation due to visual fatigue and complementary color illusions (Source 2).
→Focusing too much on scientific accuracy rather than the emotional significance of the form, which can result in a lifeless portrait (Source 8).
→Using too many opaque layers instead of leveraging the transparency of glazes and scumbles, which reduces the depth and richness of the color (Source 1).

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 B.S. Ingemann’s appearance, clothing, and pose are not described in the sources, so the artist must rely on reference images or imagination for these visual details.
·The exact palette of pigments used by Marstrand for this specific painting is not detailed, though general period practices are inferred.
·The specific background and setting of the portrait are not described, requiring the artist to make compositional choices consistent with Marstrand’s style but not explicitly sourced.

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, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color theory and simultaneous contrast adjustments
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- FROM A STUDY BY BOTTICELLI — applied to Drawing accuracy and emotional significance

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 Purpose of portrait and likeness
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to Materials and medium properties
Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist background and style context