Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 42 works by Jørgen Roed in our catalogue
In short
Kunstnerens mormoder (1828) is the Jørgen Roed painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Statens Museum For Kunst, Copenhagen. After it, the eye goes to Portrait of Colonel von Darcheus (1834) and Charlotte Bartholin (1836). Among the 42 works of Jørgen Roed in our catalog, these 42 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
In this 1828 portrait, we are invited into a private, somber space occupied by an elderly woman. The composition is an intimate bust-length study, presented within an oval format that focuses our attention entirely on her character. There is a profound stillness here. The subject gazes out with a calm, steady expression, her eyes carrying a hint of melancholy that suggests a lifetime of endurance. She is framed against a…
In this 1834 oil portrait, we are invited to meet Colonel von Darcheus through a gaze that is both steady and deeply experienced. The subject is presented in a bust-length composition, his body turned slightly to the right while his eyes remain fixed upon us. There is a quiet gravity in his expression, a sense of stoicism that seems to emanate from the fine lines etched into his skin. The…
In this 1836 portrait, we find ourselves in the presence of Charlotte Bartholin, captured in a moment of profound stillness. The composition is a centered, bust-length study that focuses our attention entirely on her character. She is positioned slightly off-center, her gaze directed toward the right of the frame with an expression that suggests a calm, internal composure. The lighting, descending softly from the upper left, carves her features out…
The room feels quiet, held in a stillness that only a formal portrait can command. An elderly gentleman, I.C. Drewsen, sits with a quiet dignity, his gaze directed slightly away from the viewer toward an unseen horizon. He is a man of substance, his presence anchored by the heavy, dark velvet of his frock coat and the crisp, stark white of his high collar. The light enters from the upper…
The painting titled The Marine Painter Emil Wilhelm Normann in his Uniform as a Naval Officer is a portrait executed by the artist Jørgen Roed. This work depicts the subject, Emil Wilhelm Normann, in his capacity as a naval officer. The piece was created in 1830.
A young woman turns her gaze away, her profile etched against a world of shifting shadows. The light catches the delicate curve of her forehead and the bridge of her nose, leaving the rest of her features to melt into a soft, monochromatic depth. There is a stillness here, a moment caught in the breath between a thought and a word. Her hair, a complex architecture of dark, coiled curls,…
In this 1881 oil on canvas, we find ourselves in the presence of Caroline Amalie Meldahl, née Ræder. The portrait, painted by Jørgen Roed, captures a woman of significant social standing, a chamberlainess whose very posture commands the space around her. She is positioned centrally, her hands clasped in a gesture of composed restraint. The lighting, soft and directional from the upper left, carves her features out of the shadows,…
A somber, three-quarter length portrait from 1849 captures Ellen Roed, the artist's mother, in a moment of quiet contemplation. Seated slightly off-center, she faces the viewer directly, her expression marked by a calm, steady presence. The composition relies on a grayscale palette, utilizing a range of tones from the deep blacks of her shawl to the bright whites of her lace cap. Lighting enters from the upper left, casting gentle…
A young girl sits in the quiet center of the frame, her gaze meeting the viewer with a steady, calm innocence. She holds a woven basket, a vessel filled with the heavy, waxy textures of fruit. Light spills from the upper left, catching the curve of her cheek and the smooth skin of the produce, while the rest of the room retreats into a soft, dark shadow. The colors are…
Interior. Ribe Cathedral1836 · Hirschsprung Collection
12
An Artist Resting by the Roadside1832 · Statens Museum For Kunst
13
Miss Ida Wilhelmine Trock1835 · Nationalmuseum
14
Portrait of Ane Elisabeth (Elise) Gurlitt, né Saxild (1817-39)1836 · Nationalmuseum
15
Portrait of Ludvig Holberg. Copy after Johan Roselius1847 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
16
The Courtyard of the Palazzo del Bargello. Florence1842 · Statens Museum For Kunst
17
Familieliv i et lille fiskerleje nord for Helsingør1855 · Statens Museum For Kunst
18
Sjællandske høstpiger ved en brønd1850 · Statens Museum For Kunst
19
Haven med den gamle døbefont1850 · Statens Museum For Kunst
20
Andreas Munch1853 · Oslo Museum
21
The Actor Kristian Mantzius1854 · Nationalmuseum
22
The Artist's Son Holger at the Age of Ten1856 · Statens Museum For Kunst
23
Emilie Mathilde Roed, f. Kruse, kunstnerens hustru1871 · Statens Museum For Kunst
24
The Choir of St. Bendt's Church, Ringsted1829 · Sorø Art Museum
25
Olive Grove from Tivoli near Rome1839 · Nivaagaards Malerisamling
26
Klosteret San Lorenzo fuori le mura i Roma1837 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
27
Ribe Cathedral1836 · Statens Museum For Kunst
28
The Temple of Hercules at Cori1838 · Statens Museum For Kunst
29
The Temple of Hera at Paestum, Italy1838 · Statens Museum For Kunst
30
A View of Casamicciola, Ischia1838 · Statens Museum For Kunst
31
The Market Place in Priverno1838 · Statens Museum For Kunst
32
The Interior of Ribe Cathedral1836 · Statens Museum For Kunst
33
Udsigt mod Roskilde fra et husmandssted1835 · Statens Museum For Kunst
34
Street in Roskilde. In the Background the Cathedral1836 · Statens Museum For Kunst
35
From Collin's Garden in Copenhagen1833 · Nationalmuseum
36
The Coast at Hellebæk. Study1850 · Nationalmuseum
37
La Scala Santa at the Monastery San Benedetto near Subiaco1857 · Nivaagaards Malerisamling
38
Scene from the Garden of the Villa Borghese in Rome1839 · Nivaagaards Malerisamling
39
Selecting Trees for FellingNivaagaards Malerisamling
40
A Bearded Man. StudyNationalmuseum
41
Italian CloisterNivaagaards Malerisamling
42
Drawn Study for Scene from the Garden of the Villa Borghese in Rome
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 7 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Jørgen Roed | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Statens Museum For Kunst |
Copenhagen | 24 | Kunstnerens mormoder, Charlotte Bartholin, Industrimanden og politikeren I.C. Drewsen |
 Nationalmuseum |
Stockholm | 7 | Portrait of Colonel von Darcheus, Miss Ida Wilhelmine Trock, Portrait of Ane Elisabeth (Elise) Gurlitt, né Saxild (1817-39) |
 Nivaagaards Malerisamling |
Nibe | 5 | Olive Grove from Tivoli near Rome, La Scala Santa at the Monastery San Benedetto near Subiaco, Scene from the Garden of the Villa Borghese in Rome |
 National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design |
Oslo | 2 | Portrait of Ludvig Holberg. Copy after Johan Roselius, Klosteret San Lorenzo fuori le mura i Roma |
 Hirschsprung Collection |
Copenhagen | 1 | Interior. Ribe Cathedral |
 Oslo Museum |
Oslo | 1 | Andreas Munch |
 Sorø Art Museum |
Sorø | 1 | The Choir of St. Bendt's Church, Ringsted |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In this 1828 portrait, we are invited into a private, somber space occupied by an elderly woman. The composition is an intimate bust-length study, presented within an oval format that focuses our attention entirely on her character. There is a profound stillness here. The subject gazes out with a calm, steady expression, her eyes carrying a hint of melancholy that suggests a lifetime of endurance. She is framed against a…
In this 1834 oil portrait, we are invited to meet Colonel von Darcheus through a gaze that is both steady and deeply experienced. The subject is presented in a bust-length composition, his body turned slightly to the right while his eyes remain fixed upon us. There is a quiet gravity in his expression, a sense of stoicism that seems to emanate from the fine lines etched into his skin. The…
The room feels quiet, held in a stillness that only a formal portrait can command. An elderly gentleman, I.C. Drewsen, sits with a quiet dignity, his gaze directed slightly away from the viewer toward an unseen horizon. He is a man of substance, his presence anchored by the heavy, dark velvet of his frock coat and the crisp, stark white of his high collar. The light enters from the upper…
The oil portrait titled Emilie Mathilde Roed, f. Kruse, kunstnerens hustru was painted by Jørgen Roed in 1871. The subject of this work is Emilie Mathilde Kruse, a woman who shared a life with the artist. They were once engaged, and their union was formalized when they married on 22 May 1842. This painting captures her long after those early years of courtship.
In this 1881 oil on canvas, we find ourselves in the presence of Caroline Amalie Meldahl, née Ræder. The portrait, painted by Jørgen Roed, captures a woman of significant social standing, a chamberlainess whose very posture commands the space around her. She is positioned centrally, her hands clasped in a gesture of composed restraint. The lighting, soft and directional from the upper left, carves her features out of the shadows,…
Kunstnerens mormoder (1828), Statens Museum For Kunst, Copenhagen. Portrait of Colonel von Darcheus (1834) and Charlotte Bartholin (1836) come next.
20 years old: Kunstnerens mormoder dates from 1828, and Jørgen Roed was born in 1808.
Kunstnerens mormoder, Portrait of Colonel von Darcheus, Charlotte Bartholin, Industrimanden og politikeren I.C. Drewsen, The Marine Painter Emil Wilhelm Normann in his Uniform as a Naval Officer, Portræt af en ung pige, Kammerherreinde Caroline Amalie Meldahl, f. Ræder, Ellen Roed, f. Jensen, kunstnerens moder, A Girl with a Basket of Fruits and Amtsprovst i Sorø, senere biskop i Århus, P.H. Mønster. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 42 works by Jørgen Roed, dated from 1828 to 1881.
Mostly in Statens Museum For Kunst (Copenhagen), Nationalmuseum (Stockholm) and Nivaagaards Malerisamling (Nibe). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1830s: 20 of the 42 works on this page were made then, Portrait of Colonel von Darcheus among them.
On this page, the earliest is Kunstnerens mormoder (1828) and the latest Kammerherreinde Caroline Amalie Meldahl, f. Ræder (1881).
Woman (6), Portrait (4) and Man (3), across the 42 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 6 of the 42 works on this page.
Danish golden age, judging by the originals on this page.
Kunstnerens mormoder, Charlotte Bartholin and Industrimanden og politikeren I.C. Drewsen: the Statens Museum For Kunst, Copenhagen holds 24 of the works on this page.
Jørgen Roed (1808-1888) stands as a significant figure within the vibrant tapestry of 19th-century Danish art, particularly renowned for his evocative portrayals of everyday life and distinguished portraiture. Born in Ringsted, Denmark, to Peder Jørgensen Roed and Ellen Hansdatter, his early life was steeped in rural traditions – his father a member of the local council and involved in farming and distilling. This grounding in the practical realities of Danish society would profoundly influence his artistic vision, shaping his ability to capture the nuances of human interaction and the beauty of the natural world with remarkable detail.
Roed’s artistic journey commenced under the tutelage of schoolteacher J.J. Fyhn, a modest beginning that ignited a lifelong passion for drawing and painting. Recognizing his talent, his parents secured him a place at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen in 1822, where he received formal training from esteemed artists like Hans Hansen (father of Constantin Hansen) and later, Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg – a pivotal influence who shaped Roed’s approach to composition, color, and the depiction of human form. This period marked not only his artistic development but also the forging of lasting friendships with fellow students, including Eckersberg's son, contributing to the dynamic creative environment that defined the “Golden Age” of Danish painting.
Roed’s early career was characterized by a diligent study of established techniques, initially focusing on copying works by masters like Raphael. However, he quickly distinguished himself through his ability to imbue these reproductions with a sense of life and observation. His initial exhibitions at Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition showcased a growing confidence and an emerging style – a blend of realism and sensitivity that would become the hallmark of his work. He spent time in Italy during the 1830s, immersing himself in the landscapes and artistic traditions of the region, further refining his skills and broadening his subject matter.
A key turning point in Roed’s career was his association with Hans Hansen, whose studio he frequented. This mentorship provided him with invaluable experience in portraiture, a genre that would ultimately become one of his most celebrated achievements. The influence of Eckersberg, combined with the practical lessons learned from Hansen, allowed Roed to develop a distinctive style – characterized by meticulous detail, atmospheric perspective, and an ability to capture the essence of his subjects with both accuracy and empathy.
Roed’s artistic output encompassed a diverse range of subjects, but he is particularly recognized for his captivating genre paintings. These scenes from everyday life – depicting farmers tending their fields, fishermen returning from the sea, or families gathered around a hearth – offer intimate glimpses into the rhythms and customs of rural Denmark. His compositions are often imbued with a sense of quiet dignity and understated beauty, reflecting a deep appreciation for the simple pleasures of country life.
Alongside his genre paintings, Roed excelled as a portraitist. His portraits capture not only physical likeness but also the personality and character of his subjects – from distinguished gentlemen to humble villagers. He possessed a remarkable ability to convey emotion through subtle gestures and expressions, creating images that are both visually arresting and psychologically insightful. Notable examples include “Valdemar Hjartvar Købke,” a portrait of his brother, showcasing Roed’s technical skill and his talent for capturing the likeness of his family.
Roed's artistic legacy is firmly established within the collections of prominent museums throughout Denmark, including the National Gallery of Denmark and the Horsens Art Museum. His paintings offer a valuable window into 19th-century Danish society, providing insights into its culture, traditions, and values. Works such as “Scene from Villa Borghese” (1839) exemplify his mastery of architectural detail and romantic realism, while “A Street in Roskilde with the Cathedral in the Background” demonstrates his ability to capture the atmospheric beauty of Danish landscapes.
Jørgen Roed’s contribution to Danish art is undeniable. He was a key figure in the Golden Age of Danish Painting, embodying its ideals of realism, sensitivity, and national pride. His paintings continue to be admired for their technical skill, emotional depth, and enduring appeal, ensuring his place as one of Denmark's most celebrated artists.
For more information about Jørgen Roed’s life and work, please refer to the following resources:
