Vigilius Eriksen (B.1722-1782.) Antique oil painting from 1771.
Vigilius Eriksen (B.1722-1782.)
Antique oil painting from 1771. Imaginative period-typical lady at the clavichord .
Signed on the back. As well as the text “Belongs after my death Julie 6/8 99” Eriksen was one of the greatest portrait painters of the time.
About the artist: “In Russia, where he stayed for a number of years (1757-1772), where he worked as an imperial court painter and gained a reputation as one of the greatest artists of his time in his profession. His main work was a portrait of Catherine II of Russia (Catherine the Great) on horseback and in a guard uniform; he also painted this princess many times in different sizes: on horseback, in full figure, bust, in miniature. A picture of her, full figure, is still in the Royal Collection of Paintings . He is also said to have painted several large historical pictures in Russia . In St. Petersburg he not only acquired honor and fame, but also some wealth, with which he returned to Denmark in 1772.
Soon after his return to his homeland, he became royal court portrait painter and was assigned to live in the palace in Kalveboderne . He was now quite busy for a number of years, painting several times the Dowager Queen Juliane Marie and Crown Prince Frederik in addition to pictures of various domestic and foreign greats. In the collection at Rosenborg there are a few works by him: a bust in pastel of Juliane Marie, a portrait of the art turner Lorenz Spengler ; a Caroline Mathilde with her son on her lap, in the same place, also attributed to Eriksen.” Source: wiki.
Framed in a period golden wooden frame.
It is extremely rare worldwide for Vigilius Eriksen's paintings to come up for sale.
As far as we can see, there has been an auction sale of a smaller Vigilius Eriksen oil painting portrait (23x20cm) of Catherine the Great at an auction in Berlin in 2013. The hammer price/estimate was approximately 426,000 DKK. Inflation of approximately 19% was taken into account.
Dimensions: Painting: H:34 W:26 cm. Frame: H:42.3 W:32.2 cm.
Condition:
Restored in 2024, by Gentofte Painting Conservation.
Determination of color layers.
Cleaning of surface dirt and varnish.
Removing peeling.
Retouching.
Varnish.