plate no. 1464

Portrait of Otto Marstrand's Two Daughters and their West Indian Nanny, Justina, in Frederiksberg Garden

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitfiguresportraitlandscapetreesskyclothing

what to study here

It shows how a narrow mid-tone range, a dark tree and soft edges can hold three figures together in an outdoor setting.

The useful lesson here is how value and edge control organize a three-figure group outdoors. The vision analysis describes light from the upper left, with a dark tree trunk on the left, and Justina's face and clothing carrying the darkest darks. The girls' pale faces, blonde hair and the white blouse are the lightest areas apart from the sky. Squint and the group reads as a pyramid of light faces against the dark tree, separated from the bright sky by a horizontal band of landscape. Most of the canvas stays in a narrow mid-tone range, including the foliage, teal dresses and skin. Edges are soft throughout, and the faces get the most refined modeling, with almost imperceptible value transitions in the girls' skin. The white blouse shows visible but controlled strokes that follow the folds. The foliage is looser, in golden-ochre and green marks. Clothing edges are slightly crisper than face edges, so the teal dresses and red shawl act as anchors. Study how the eye enters at Justina's face, then moves to the girls' faces.

key decision

Marstrand placed the darkest, most developed area at Justina's face, centered between the two lighter girls, so the eye enters there before moving to the pale faces. Against the dark tree and bright sky, this creates a pyramid of light.

recreation guide

Wilhelm Marstrand’s 1857 portrait is a work of the Danish Golden Age, characterized by a blend of academic rigor and genre painting sensibilities. Marstrand, trained under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg at the Royal Danish Academy, was renowned for his ability to depict daily life and middle-class society with humor and narrative depth, even within formal portraiture (Source 5). The artwork likely serves as a family record, capturing the likeness and character of the subjects rather than merely their outward appearance, consistent with the portrait genre’s aim to reveal inner significance (Source 3, Source 6). Technically, the painting reflects the oil painting practices of the mid-19th century, which often involved layered applications of paint. While specific details of Marstrand’s palette for this exact work are not detailed in the provided sources, the general practice of the era and the 'old masters' he would have studied involved building up forms through monochrome underpainting followed by glazing and scumbling to achieve depth and color harmony (Source 1). The composition likely balances the inherent colors of the subjects (flesh tones, clothing) with chosen background elements to create visual contrast and harmony, adhering to the laws of simultaneous contrast to ensure the figures stand out against the garden setting (Source 7, Source 4).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre, etc.)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	—
Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil	Binder and medium for thinning paints and creating glazes	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Turpentine or Odorless Mineral Spirits	Thinner for initial washes and cleaning brushes	Gamsol or Odorless Mineral Spirits
Canvas (primed)	Support for the painting	Linen or cotton canvas with acrylic or oil gesso
Oil of Copavia (historical) or Dammar Varnish (modern)	Medium for glazing layers to increase transparency and depth	Dammar varnish mixed with oil
Soft charcoal or conte crayon	Underdrawing	Vine charcoal

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a white or light-toned ground to allow for the traditional layering techniques. Marstrand’s academic training under Eckersberg would have emphasized a solid foundation. The surface should be smooth enough to allow for fine detail in the faces but textured enough to hold impasto if used for highlights. (Source 5)

underdrawing

Marstrand likely used a precise underdrawing, given his academic background and skill in handling complex compositions with many figures (Source 5). The drawing should establish the proportions and poses of the two daughters and Justina, ensuring the likeness is recognizable (Source 3). Use charcoal or thinned paint to sketch the forms lightly, focusing on the 'inner essence' and character of the subjects rather than just literal likeness (Source 6).

underpainting

Begin with a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, as suggested by Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method which was influential in academic training (Source 1). This layer establishes the values and forms without the distraction of color. The goal is to mentally extract red and yellow tones, focusing on the structural light and shadow (Source 1). This step is crucial for achieving the depth characteristic of old master techniques (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting shadows and cool tones

White

Lead white (historical) or Titanium white (modern)

Highlights and mixing tints in underpainting

Black

Ivory black or Lamp black

Deep shadows in underpainting

Red Ochre/Venetian Red

Earth red pigments

Glazing flesh tones and warm accents

Yellow Ochre

Earth yellow pigments

Glazing highlights and warm tones

Green Earth/Verdigris

Natural green pigments

Garden background foliage

composition

The composition likely places the figures in a garden setting, requiring careful handling of color contrast. The inherent colors of the flesh and clothing must be harmonized with the chosen background colors to avoid visual fatigue and ensure the subjects stand out (Source 7). Marstrand’s inclination toward depicting daily life suggests a naturalistic arrangement rather than a stiff, formal pose, capturing a moment of interaction or quiet observation (Source 5). The eyes and eyebrows should be rendered with care to convey character and emotion, as these are key to portrait expression (Source 6).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figures lightly with charcoal, focusing on proportions and the relationship between the two daughters and Justina.
Tip — Ensure the likeness is recognizable, as portraits serve as records of appearance (Source 3).
Academic drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values. Work from dark to light, ignoring local color.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow tones, focusing on what remains in nature without these colors (Source 1).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing with oil. Apply transparent layers of red and yellow tones to build up flesh tones and warm highlights.
Tip — Use oil of copavia or a similar medium to ensure transparency. Glazing adds depth and richness (Source 1).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Scumble semi-opaque paint over darker areas to cool down tones or add texture. This technique allows the underlying painting to show through, creating a grey bloom or subtle variation.
Tip — Be cautious of coldness when scumbling over dark grounds. Use this to refine edges and soften transitions (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. Ensure that the colors of the figures harmonize with the background, considering how adjacent colors affect each other’s appearance.
Tip — The eye may see colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast; take breaks to reset your vision (Source 4).
Simultaneous Contrast

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Use a resin-based varnish like Dammar for a traditional finish (Source 8).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to achieve depth and luminosity. This was a common practice among old masters and is recommended for achieving rich tones (Source 1).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to modify underlying tones, particularly useful for creating cool highlights or softening edges. It allows the underpainting to influence the final color (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. This is crucial for harmonizing the composition and ensuring accurate color representation (Source 4, Source 7).

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can make the painting look stiff. Marstrand’s training would have warned against this, encouraging broader masses and finish (Source 2).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to colors that appear muddy or unharmonious. The eye can be deceived by adjacent colors, so careful observation is needed (Source 4).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking (Source 1).
→Focusing too much on literal likeness at the expense of character and inner essence, which is the true aim of portraiture (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 the clothing patterns, jewelry, or exact facial expressions of the daughters and Justina are not described in the sources, so these must be inferred from general portrait conventions or external references not provided.
·The exact pigments used by Marstrand in 1857 are not specified, so modern equivalents are suggested based on general oil painting practices.
·The specific layout of the Frederiksberg Garden background is not detailed, so the artist must rely on general landscape painting principles and Marstrand’s style.

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
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and focusing on broad masses
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast
- 6 — applied to Chiaroscuro and color juxtaposition

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 portraiture and likeness
- Portrait painting — part 2 — applied to Expression and character in portraiture
Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist’s background and style
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to General materials and varnishing

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 falls from the upper left, creating warm highlights across the left side of the composition while casting the massive tree trunk into cool shadow. Three figures occupy the lower two-thirds: a Black woman (Justina) stands central and slightly back, framed between two young blonde girls in matching teal dresses. The eye enters at Justina's face—the darkest, most developed area—then moves to the girls' pale, luminous faces. The landscape recedes behind them: a soft, atmospheric green-blue middle ground with trees at varying depths, supporting the intimate scale of the figures and directing focus forward.

value structure

The darkest darks concentrate in the tree trunk on the left, Justina's face and clothing, and background shadows. Lightest lights are the sky, the girls' faces, blonde hair, and Justina's white blouse. Most of the painting sits in mid-tones—the foliage, teal dresses, and skin receive careful modeling within a narrow band. Squinting reveals the composition's skeleton: a pyramid of light faces against a darker tree, separated from the bright sky by the horizontal landscape band.

observed palette and mixes

#4285ab
cerulean blue + white, or ultramarine + viridian for the teal dresses; cerulean + white for sky
teal dresses, sky
#7d3326
alizarin crimson + burnt sienna, or vermilion + ultramarine for depth
red shawl/wrap
#4a3c2f
raw sienna + ultramarine, or burnt sienna + ultramarine
tree trunk, shadow areas, nanny's clothing folds
#aaa09a
yellow ochre + white + touch of ultramarine; pale peachy-pink for skin
girls' skin highlights, foliage light areas, blouse highlights
#616059
yellow ochre + viridian + ultramarine; or raw sienna + cerulean
foliage mid-tones, background green, clothing shadows
#312e2a
ultramarine + burnt sienna + alizarin; or ultramarine + ivory black
nanny's skin (darkest), tree shadows, deepest folds

edges and brushwork

Edges throughout are soft and blended, with the faces receiving the most refined modeling—nearly imperceptible transitions between values in the girls' peachy skin. The white blouse shows directional brushwork following the fabric's folds and movement; these strokes are visible but remain controlled. The tree foliage is painted more loosely in golden-ochre and green marks that suggest depth without photographic detail. Clothing edges are slightly crisper than face edges, using the teal dresses and red shawl as compositional anchors.

a working sequence

01
Composition and light underpainting
Lightly draw the triangular relationship of the three faces and the tree trunk's vertical axis. Establish value masses with diluted ultramarine or raw umber: reserve the sky and white blouse as light, mid-tone the foliage and clothing, darken the tree trunk and shadow areas. This underpaint clarifies the pyramid composition and ensures atmospheric depth is built from the start.
02
Sky and distant landscape
Paint the clear blue sky (cerulean + white) with a horizontal soft edge where it meets the background trees. Block in the distant green landscape with a muted, cooler version of the foliage color—this recession sets the stage for all figures. Keep this area soft and slightly hazy; it should recede behind the main forms.
03
Large tree on the left
Render the tree trunk in the foreground with warm and cool passages: raw sienna + ultramarine for the body, adding alizarin for warmth on the right edge where light catches it. Paint the foliage in loose, gestural marks using yellow ochre, viridian, and ultramarine, layering lighter ochre marks over darker green-blue shadows. This tree frames the composition and establishes scale.
04
Block in the three figures with local color
Lay in accurate local color for clothing without worrying about fine detail: the teal dresses (cerulean + viridian), the red shawl (alizarin + burnt sienna), Justina's white blouse, and the yellow-orange turban. This establishes the color temperature shifts and prevents muddiness later. Keep values general and shapes simple; treat the figures as three connected forms rather than individuals.
05
Render the white blouse and shawl
Model the white blouse with subtle warm and cool variations using pale yellow ochre, titanium white, and touches of cool ultramarine in shadow folds. Follow the fabric's directional movement—the blouse wraps around the figure's shoulders and arms with clear cylindrical forms. Render the red shawl's folds with darker burnt sienna shadow areas, maintaining the fabric's sculptural quality against the white blouse.
06
Paint the girls' faces
Start with a pale warm base (yellow ochre + white + trace ultramarine for the shadow side). Model the form with subtle warm/cool shifts: yellow ochre and peachy pink on the lit side, ultramarine + alizarin for cool shadows under the chin and on the shadow side of the face. Eyes are rendered simply—dark pupils with light reflection—and eyebrows are soft. Pay careful attention to the proportions and the soft edge of hair meeting skin.
07
Render Justina's face—the focal point
This is the most demanding step. Build from a warm base of burnt sienna + alizarin + touch of ultramarine. Add yellow ochre and cadmium red to lighter areas (cheekbones, forehead) where warm light catches. Use deep ultramarine + alizarin for cool shadows (eye sockets, temple, jaw shadow). The turban's yellow-orange creates warm light reflection on the left side; balance this against cool shadow on the right. Edges should be softer than the girls' faces, integrated into the composition. Model the features with restraint—the painting's power comes from the gaze and presence, not fine detail.
08
Refine edges and atmospheric unity
Soften edges between the figures and background, particularly where clothing meets the landscape. Adjust the foliage's color temperature to ensure it recedes behind the figures. Strengthen highlights on the girls' blonde hair and on the white blouse where light is brightest. Add small figures in the distance (visible as tiny forms in the middle-right landscape) to reinforce depth. Step back frequently to check that all three faces remain unified in the composition and that the value structure reads clearly from a distance.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Justina's skin tone can easily become muddy or gray when mixing warm and cool pigments for modeling—keep the undertone warm (burnt sienna base) and apply cool shadows sparingly and transparently rather than opaquely.
The white blouse can flatten into pure titanium white without form; it requires deliberate warm (pale ochre) and cool (ultramarine) modeling to convey the fabric's volume and folds.
The teal dresses risk becoming too saturated or bright; they must read as mid-tone (not as light as the sky or girls' faces) and slightly cooler than the background to maintain aerial perspective.
The transition between Justina and the girls can lose coherence if their skin tones are not carefully calibrated—the value and temperature difference between them must feel intentional and harmonious, not jarring.

measured difficulty