plate no. 4084

The Art Historian N. L. Høyen

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigurebookspaintingsinteriorman

what to study here

It shows how a dark figure, a pale quiet background and selective edge sharpness can direct the eye to the face alone.

The useful lesson here is how a figure is separated from a quiet setting almost entirely by value and edge control. The vision analysis describes three value zones: a very dark coat, mid-tone wall and floor, and a light face and white shirt. The face sits in the brightest zone, and cool light from the left catches the forehead and cheek. Squint at it and the coat reads as one dark mass against lighter surroundings. The white shirt acts as a sharp value barrier between coat and neck. Edges are varied on purpose. The face is crisp around the eyes and mouth but soft at the hair and beard, and the coat edges melt into the background except where light hits the shoulder. The background prints and framed pictures are only thin, gestural suggestions, so they signal scholarship without competing with the head. The palette is restrained: warm ochre and sienna flesh against cool grays, with a coat built from browns and black rather than flat black. Study how little the background is allowed to say.

key decision

The painter kept the background in pale-to-mid cool grays with only suggested detail, so the dark coat reads as a single mass and the face is the brightest, sharpest area.

From the record

Dimensions: 129 cm high × 98 cm wide
Institution: Statens Museum for Kunst
Location: Statens Museum for Kunst
Inception: 1868
Materials: oil paint, canvas

Niels Laurits Høyen

Wikidata item Q20384363

recreation guide

Wilhelm Marstrand’s *The Art Historian N. L. Høyen* (1868) is a representative portrait from the Danish Golden Age, a period in which Marstrand was recognized as one of Denmark’s great painters, mastering a variety of genres including representative portraits of citizens and innovators (Source 7). As a Romantic-era work, it likely employs techniques consistent with the 'old masters' tradition referenced in contemporary painting manuals, such as the use of glazing and scumbling to achieve depth and tonal harmony (Source 1). The painting serves as a formal record of its subject, adhering to the 19th-century portrait convention where the artist balances the inherent colors of the model (flesh, hair) with chosen elements like draperies and background to create a harmonious composition (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

4 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red Ochre/Yellow Ochre)	For the initial grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing layers.	Standard tube oils; Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Natural Earth tones.
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper drying and flow, as recommended by Reynolds for this method.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil.
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats.	Dammar varnish or modern painting medium.
Canvas	Support for the oil painting.	Linen or cotton canvas, primed.

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. While specific priming recipes for Marstrand are not detailed in the sources, the technique described involves a 'grisaille' (monochrome underpainting) which requires a stable, dry ground to accept subsequent glazes (Source 1).

underdrawing

No specific details on Marstrand’s underdrawing for this portrait are provided in the sources. However, given the precision required for a representative portrait of a public figure, a careful charcoal or thinned oil sketch is implied to establish the likeness before the monochrome stage.

underpainting

Execute a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This stage involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure and form without color interference (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure pigment

Part of the initial grisaille underpainting to establish shadows and mid-tones (Source 1).

White

Pure pigment

Part of the initial grisaille underpainting to establish highlights and form (Source 1).

Black

Pure pigment

Part of the initial grisaille underpainting to establish deep shadows (Source 1).

Red and Yellow tones

Transparent glazes

Applied in subsequent layers to tint the grisaille, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).

composition

The composition likely adheres to the principles of simultaneous contrast, where the inherent colors of the model (flesh, eyes, hair) are balanced against chosen colors in the draperies and background to create harmony (Source 2). The artist would have considered how contiguous colors modify each other, ensuring that the lightest tones are not lowered and darkest tones heightened in a way that disrupts the gradation of light (Source 2).

step by step

underpainting→refining→finishing

underpainting

step 01
Create a grisaille using only black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Focus on establishing the full range of tones from highlight to shadow.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors; imagine what is left in nature if these colors were not present (Source 1).
Grisaille

refining

step 02
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Then, apply transparent coats of color (glazing) and semi-opaque layers (scumbling) using oil, and later varnish mixed with oil.
Tip — Treat the application of red and yellow tones much like tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing and Scumbling
step 03
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. Ensure that adjacent colors do not inadvertently shift the perceived hue of the flesh tones or draperies.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see the complementary of a previously viewed color, leading to inaccurate perception of the model's true color (Source 3).
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 04
Refine the gradation of light at the juxtaposition of different tones. Ensure that the highest tone is not enfeebled and the lowest tone is not heightened incorrectly.
Tip — Aim for a true gradation of light by observing how bands of tone interact at their boundaries (Source 2).
Chiaro-oscuro

critical techniques

Glazing

A transparent coat of color applied over a dry underpainting to build up luminosity and color depth without muddying the underlying tones.

Scumbling

A semi-opaque painting technique where the underlying painting shows through, often used to create coldness or a grey bloom over darker grounds.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors modify each other's appearance. The painter must anticipate these shifts to accurately render the model's inherent colors.

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the grisaille is completely dry, which can ruin the underpainting (Source 1).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception where the eye sees the complementary of a previously viewed color rather than the true color of the model (Source 3).
→Darkening colors by adding black, which can cause hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting greenish), instead of using complementary colors to neutralize and darken (Source 4).
→Lightening colors by adding white, which can cause hue shifts (e.g., reds shifting blue), without correcting with adjacent colors (Source 4).

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 N. L. Høyen's clothing, facial features, and the background setting are not described in the provided sources, so the artist must rely on external reference images of the actual painting.
·Marstrand's specific brushwork style for this portrait is not detailed; the guide relies on general 19th-century oil painting techniques described in the sources.
·The exact palette of pigments used by Marstrand for this specific work is not listed, only the general method of grisaille and glazing.

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 (grisaille) and glazing/scumbling techniques.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Chiaro-oscuro and tonal gradation.
- 315. As to the advantages the painter will find in it... — applied to Simultaneous contrast and color harmony.

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Adjusting lightness and darkness without hue shift.
Wikipedia bio — Wilhelm Marstrand↗
- Posthumous reception — applied to Contextualizing the artist's status and genre mastery.

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

An older scholar stands centered in a study, bathed in cool light from the left that catches his high forehead and left cheek. His dark coat forms a sharp silhouette against a soft, pale background of architectural reference prints and framed artworks, creating an immediate focal point. The background is layered—cool gray walls with barely-legible engravings, a gold-framed picture on the right, and an open book in the foreground—which recedes softly without demanding attention. His direct gaze and elevated stance suggest intellectual authority, reinforced by the scholarly objects surrounding him.

value structure

The painting organizes into three clear value zones: very dark (the coat and background shadows), mid-tone (the background wall and floor), and light (the face and white shirt). The face sits in the brightest zone, making it the inevitable center of attention. Squinting reveals the coat as a cohesive dark mass against lighter surroundings, while the white shirt creates a sharp value barrier between the coat and neck. The background avoids deep shadow, staying mostly in pale-to-mid grays, which makes the figure advance.

observed palette and mixes

#1b1c1b
Ivory black + raw umber, with touch of ultramarine for depth
The coat's deepest shadows and folds; floor
#372e29
Raw umber + ivory black
Mid-tone areas of the coat, definition of folds
#9d8a74
Yellow ochre + burnt sienna + titanium white
Warm undertones in face, particularly cheeks and forehead; wooden furniture
#746554
Burnt sienna + yellow ochre + ultramarine blue (dulled)
Shadow side of face, warm mid-tones in skin
#524337
Ultramarine blue + raw umber + titanium white (cool gray)
Background wall, cool shadows on the face, atmospheric grays
#f5f5f5
Titanium white + ultramarine blue (very slight)
White shirt front, highlights on face

edges and brushwork

Edges shift deliberately: the face has crisp definition around the eyes and mouth but soft transitions at the hair and beard edges, creating life while avoiding stiffness. The coat edges are soft and blended into the background except where sharp light hits the shoulder. Background engravings are rendered as mere suggestion—thin gestural marks—rather than detail, keeping focus forward. Brushwork is confident but restrained; you see technique in the modeling of the face without any visible show.

a working sequence

01
Value underpainting in warm neutrals
Block in the entire composition using burnt sienna, raw umber, and white on a toned ground. Establish the dark coat as one mass, the light background as a second, and the head as a third. Pay attention to the head's position—it sits high and forward, not centered vertically. Keep this layer thin and loose; you're mapping territory, not painting details.
02
Cool background atmosphere
Paint the background wall in soft, cool grays made from ultramarine blue + raw umber + white. Leave it lighter near the figure's head to create atmospheric contrast. Suggest the framed artwork on the right and the architectural frame at top with minimal detail—thin lines and muted tones. The background should feel like a soft stage, not a distraction.
03
Head structure and broad face modeling
Establish the head shape and major divisions: the lit side (left) is warmer and lighter, the shadow side (right) cooler and darker. Model the forehead and cheekbones with yellow ochre + burnt sienna + white on the lit side; use the same with ultramarine added for shadows. Leave the features unmarked at this stage. The goal is convincing form, not likeness yet.
04
Eyes, nose, and mouth—the face's identity
Paint the eyes with careful attention to the iris color (a warm brown), the highlight (small, on the left), and the dark pupil. Keep the eyelids subtle—older faces have less sculptural lids. The nose is prominent and defined; use a slightly darker, warmer mix on its shadow side. The mouth is firm and slightly asymmetrical; suggest rather than outline it. These features carry intelligence and presence.
05
The coat—dark, structured, textured
Refine the coat using ivory black + raw umber for deep shadows, with raw umber + ultramarine for mid-tone areas showing the fabric's direction. Define the right shoulder where the arm bends, the chest buttons (tiny but visible), and the lapel fold. The fabric should show enough structure to feel like substantial cloth, not flat black. Pay attention to how light from the left catches the upper shoulder and chest.
06
White shirt—a study in modulation, not pure white
Paint the shirt with titanium white + a touch of ultramarine for cool shadows. The visible chest has a crisp edge where it meets the black coat, but the neck area curves and has soft modeling. The cravat is black, but let it sit slightly lighter than the coat due to its sheen. The white should feel luminous against the dark without appearing harsh—achieve this through subtle shadow modeling, not by laying pure white flat.
07
Foreground hand and scholarly objects
Paint the right hand with the same flesh-tone palette as the face, paying attention to bone structure and the gentle modeling from light. The hand gestures slightly, suggesting engagement. Add the open book in the lower right with quick, loose strokes—suggest pages and binding without overworking. This anchors the scholarly context without competing with the figure.
08
Refinement—temperature and atmospheric integration
Step back and assess: are the background grays sufficiently cool, and does the warm flesh tone glow against them? Adjust by glazing warm tones into the face or cooling the background if needed. Soften any edges that feel too hard, especially where the coat meets the background. Check that the eye moves to the face first, then around the surrounding details. Polish the floor area with warm-dark grays that echo the coat without competing.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Painting the background too warm or brown instead of cool gray—this flattens depth and dims the face's warmth. Stay cool and atmospheric.
Making the black coat pure black without the brown undertones it actually possesses. This creates deadness; always mix black from ultramarine + raw umber or similar.
Overworking the face until it loses the subtle, intelligent expression. Model carefully, then step back and stop.
Rendering the background engravings as clear, readable details instead of atmospheric suggestion. They should hint at scholarly pursuits without pulling focus.
Losing the warm glow in skin tones by using too much ultramarine without cadmium red light or burnt sienna. The face must feel alive against the cool surroundings.
Painting the white shirt as flat white instead of modulating its shadows with cool gray. This causes it to look blown out rather than luminous.

measured difficulty