Artist
Jens Juel
Jens Juel prints bring the elegance and warmth of eighteenth-century Denmark into your home: graceful portraits of nobles, merchants and thinkers, family groups in sunlit parks, and some of the first true Danish landscapes. Juel is regarded as the leading Danish portrait painter of his...Read more
Jens Juel prints bring the elegance and warmth of eighteenth-century Denmark into your home: graceful portraits of nobles, merchants and thinkers, family groups in sunlit parks, and some of the first true Danish landscapes. Juel is regarded as the leading Danish portrait painter of his century and became court painter in Copenhagen. Our collection of fine art prints includes his portraits, landscapes, genre scenes and many drawings and studies.
About Jens Juel
Jens Juel was born on 12 May 1745 in Balslev on the island of Funen and grew up in nearby Gamborg, where his father was a schoolmaster. Showing early talent, he was apprenticed to the painter Johann Michael Gehrman in Hamburg, where he spent five or six years and supported himself painting portraits, landscapes and genre pictures.
At about twenty he moved to Copenhagen to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, winning its small gold medal in 1767 and the great gold medal in 1771. In 1772 he went to Rome, where he spent four years with other Danish artists including Nicolai Abildgaard, then to Paris and, in 1777, to Geneva, where he stayed with his friend the naturalist Charles Bonnet and painted many portraits.
After visiting Hamburg, where he painted the poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, he returned to Copenhagen in 1780 and became court painter, painting the royal family, nobility and wealthy merchants. He became a member of the Academy in 1782 and its director in 1795. He died in Copenhagen on 27 December 1802 and is buried in Assistens Cemetery.
Style and Subjects
Juel's portraits are refined and natural, with soft light, delicate colour and a relaxed elegance that shows the influence of French and English portraiture. His sitters often appear outdoors, in gardens or landscapes, with a sense of ease and warmth.
He was also one of the first Danish painters of landscape for its own sake, with quiet, luminous views of the Danish countryside and coast, and he painted charming genre scenes and interiors.
Famous Works
- Johan Tobias Sergel, Sculptor (1794), Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. A portrait of his friend, the Swedish sculptor.
- Niels Ryberg with his Son and Daughter-in-Law (1797), Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen. A wealthy merchant's family in a sunlit park, his most famous group portrait.
- The Dancing Glade at Sorgenfri (1800), Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen. Country people dancing in a woodland glade north of Copenhagen.
- Landscape by the Sound (1800), Nivaagaard Museum. A calm coastal view over the strait.
- A Storm Brewing behind a Farmhouse in Zealand. Dark clouds gathering over a Danish farm, one of his best-known landscapes.
- Self-Portrait by Candlelight. The artist lit by a single candle.
- Portrait of the Poet F. G. Klopstock. The German poet of The Messiah, painted in Hamburg.
Decorating with Juel Prints
Juel's portraits suit classic Scandinavian and Georgian-style interiors: dining rooms, drawing rooms and hallways with pale walls, painted furniture and gilt frames. His landscapes, such as The Dancing Glade at Sorgenfri, bring calm Danish light to a living room or bedroom.
His genre scenes, such as Kitchen Interior with a Girl Reading, suit a kitchen or breakfast room, and his drawings make a refined group for a study.
FAQ
Who was Jens Juel?
Jens Juel was a Danish painter who lived from 1745 to 1802. He is regarded as the leading Danish portrait painter of the eighteenth century.
Where can I see Jens Juel's paintings?
The largest collection of his portraits is at Frederiksborg Castle. Others are in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and the Hermitage.
Who did Jens Juel paint?
He painted the Danish royal family, nobles and merchants, as well as figures such as the poet Klopstock, the naturalist Charles Bonnet and the sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel.
Where did Jens Juel study?
He trained with Johann Michael Gehrman in Hamburg and at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, then worked in Rome, Paris and Geneva.
Did Jens Juel paint landscapes?
Yes. Besides portraits he painted landscapes and genre scenes, and he is seen as one of the first Danish painters of landscape for its own sake.
Related Artists
- Nicolai Abildgaard: Danish painter who was with him in Rome
- Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg: father of Danish Golden Age painting and his son-in-law
