plate no. 5833

Portrait of Oswald Marstrand

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingmilitaryuniform

recreation guide

Portrait of Oswald Marstrand (1845) by Wilhelm Marstrand 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 represent a specific human subject with a recognizable likeness, serving as a record of the sitter's appearance (Source 3). Marstrand’s training under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg at the Royal Danish Academy of Art grounded him in rigorous academic standards, emphasizing the depiction of daily life and middle-class society alongside history painting (Source 5). The artwork is executed in oil on canvas, a medium that allows for greater flexibility, richer color, and the use of layers to achieve a wide range from light to dark (Source 8).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigments)	Primary medium for color application	High-quality tube oils
Drying oil (Linseed or Poppy)	Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and richness	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning	Odorless mineral spirits or pure turpentine
Canvas	Support surface	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Varnish (optional for glazing)	Medium for transparent glazes if using old master techniques	Dammar varnish or resin-oil mixture

preparation

surface prep

The artist likely used a prepared canvas ground. While specific preparation for this portrait is not detailed in the sources, Marstrand’s academic training implies a standard white or neutral ground to allow for the full range of tonal values. The use of oil painting involves pigments combined with a drying oil binder, which requires a stable, non-absorbent surface to prevent cracking (Source 8).

underdrawing

Marstrand’s academic background suggests a careful underdrawing to establish likeness and composition. However, specific details of his preparatory sketches for this portrait are not provided in the sources. Generally, portraitists of this era relied on precise drawing to ensure the 'recognizable likeness' required by the genre (Source 3).

underpainting

It is likely that Marstrand employed a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) or a limited palette initial layer. Old masters often used a method where the first painting was done with oil of copavia, using black, ultramarine, and white to establish form before adding color (Source 6). This technique allows for the mental extraction of red and yellow tones to focus on structure and value first (Source 6).

color palette

Black

Bone black or Ivory black

Establishing shadows and form in the initial underpainting layer

Ultramarine

Natural ultramarine

Cool shadows and atmospheric tones in the underpainting

White

Lead white or Zinc white

Highlights and mixing tints in the underpainting

Red and Yellow tones

Vermilion, Ochre, or similar earth tones

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to add flesh tones and warmth

composition

The composition focuses on the sitter, Oswald Marstrand, aiming for a recognizable likeness. While specific compositional details like background elements are not described in the sources, the genre of portrait painting in this period often served as a family record or remembrance, implying a dignified and direct presentation of the subject (Source 3). Marstrand’s inclination toward depicting the 'simple life' and middle-class society may influence the modesty and realism of the setting (Source 5).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the likeness of the sitter on the prepared canvas, focusing on accurate proportions and facial features to ensure a recognizable record.
Tip — Ensure the likeness is precise, as this is the primary goal of the portrait genre.
Academic drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar medium) to establish the values and forms of the face and clothing.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus purely on light and shadow structure.
Grisaille underpainting

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Then, begin glazing and scumbling with oil to introduce the red and yellow tones, particularly for flesh tones.
Tip — Glazing involves a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through.
Glazing and Scumbling

refining

step 04
Refine the likeness and harmonize colors. Be aware of simultaneous contrast, where adjacent colors affect each other’s appearance, and adjust tones accordingly.
Tip — Observe how the lightest tones are lowered and darkest tones heightened by adjacent colors.
Color Harmony

finishing

step 05
Complete the details, ensuring the likeness is convincing. Use varnish and oil mixed if necessary for final glazes, as practiced by old masters.
Tip — Avoid over-modeling; check for tendencies to smallness by stepping back and viewing the whole.
Final Glazing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build up color and luminosity over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors influence each other’s perception. The painter must adjust colors to account for this optical effect to achieve accurate representation.

Academic Likeness

The primary goal of the portrait is to create a recognizable record of the sitter’s appearance, requiring precise drawing and observation.

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can make the painting appear stiff. Copying works like Reynolds’s 'Portraits of Two Gentlemen' can help correct this tendency (Source 1).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception. The eye may see colors differently due to the influence of previously viewed colors or adjacent hues (Source 2).
→Applying color before the underpainting is dry, which can muddy the tones and prevent the transparency of glazes (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 details of Oswald Marstrand’s clothing, facial expression, and background are not described in the sources, so the artist must rely on reference images or general period conventions.
·The exact pigments used by Wilhelm Marstrand for this specific painting are not listed, so modern equivalents must be inferred from general 19th-century practices.
·The specific varnish or medium recipe used by Marstrand is not detailed, though general old master techniques are referenced.

grounded in

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

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and improving finish through copying specific works.
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Techniques for grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing/scumbling.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast and color harmony in portrait painting.

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 Defining the goal of likeness and the historical context of portrait commissions.
Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand↗
- part 1 — applied to Contextualizing Marstrand’s academic training and stylistic inclinations.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to General properties of oil paint and materials used in the 19th century.