| The Family of Christian IX of Denmark | |
|---|---|
| Danish: Christian IX med sin familie | |
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| Artist | Laurits Tuxen |
| Year | 1886 (1886) |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 500 cm × 700 cm (200 in × 280 in) |
The Family of Christian IX of Denmark is a monumental oil on canvas group portrait painting by Laurits TuxenofChristian IX of Denmark and his family of European royalty, gathered in the Garden Hall at Fredensborg Palace. The painting is on display in one of the Queen's Reception Rooms at Christiansborg Palace. A reduced copy of the painting hangs in Amalienborg Palace.
Christian IX's six children with Queen Louise married into other European royal families, earning him the sobriquet "the father-in-law of Europe". It was for a while a tradition for them to gather at Fredensborg Palace some time during the summer, bringing their spouses and numerous offspring. These summer days spent together were known as the "Fredensborg days".[1]
The painting was Tuxen's first royal commission. Tuxen stayed at Fredensborg Palace during the Fredensborg Days of1883–86 to familiarize himself with the appearances of the royal models, but they did not pose together for the painting. The painting was instead based on photographs and portrait studies of the models arranged in smaller groups, which were subsequently composed into the final painting. Christian IX and Queen Louise were photographed at Amalienborg Palace, while most of the other royalty were photographed in the garden hall at Fredensborg Palace. He also visited the foreign models at their residences in England, Greece and Russia. It took him three years to complete the painting.[2]
Christian IX and Queen Louise are seen seated on a sofa in the centre of the picture. The subjects are placed according to rank, the foremost in the front and in the middle of the picture.
The 32 people seen the painting are (moving from left to right):
The painting is on display in one of the Queen's Reception Rooms at Christiansborg Palace.
Tuxen painted several reduced versions of the painting with some variations. He also painted some portrait studies and other preliminary sketches, some of which were afterwards worked up as proper works in themselves. One of the reduced versions of the painting hangs in Amalienborg Palace. A portrait study of Crown Princess Louise is on display in Sønderborg Castle. It was acquired by the Ny Carlsberg Foundation and presented to the museum in 1939.[3]
Tuxen's painting has also served as an inspiration for Thomas Klugge's group portrait painting of The Family of Margrethe II of Denmark.[4]
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