Bodil Larsen Rohweder

Portrait Of A Woman Holding A Tray

Bodil Larsen Rohweder

Portrait Of A Woman Holding A Tray

This early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Bodil Larsen Rohweder (1883-1975) depicts a woman holding a tray. Rohweder was an acclaimed illustrator predominantly known for her intricate zoological and botanical drawings.

A crystal decanter, half filled with liquor, reflects light from a nearby window. Two glasses, perhaps for port, stand alongside. She carries the tray mindfully - dressed to impress. Is she hosting an evening soirée? Or is this the prelude to a romantic tête-à-tête?

Born in Copenhagen, the daughter of a stockbroker, Rohweder’s early tuition was undertaken at the School for Drawing and Applied Art for Women. The first school of its kind, it offered female artists the opportunity to train at a time when a male-dominated society still broadly frowned upon such endeavours. In 1902, she enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Her early works in oil tend to focus on maternal activities within the home. Two mothers bring children to a playdate, bourgeois women undertake handicrafts in opulent drawing rooms, and inquisitive sisters peer into a dresser. In all of these, no males are present.

Underpinning her talent for observational genre scenes was her attention to detail coupled with her finesse with a pencil. She was an extraordinary draughtswoman able to accurately render minute forms with unerring precision.

Her true calling soon became evident when she was commissioned to produce numerous illustrations for scientific journals, documents and books. In 1916, working on the ‘Textbook of Zoology’ by JEV Boas; in 1925, providing a set of exquisite diagrams for ‘The Elephant's Head, II’ by the same author; and in 1938, illustrating ‘The Housefly and Stingfly’ by Math. Thomsen.

While her career as an illustrator appears to have provided the mainstay of her income, she continued to work in oils over the course of her life. She married Aage Carl August Strubberg in 1923, changing her name to Bodil Larsen Strubberg.

Held in a later frame.

Learn more about Bodil Larsen Rohweder in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 25” x 36½” / 64cm x 93cm
Year of creation: c. 1930
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Later stretcher. Areas of restoration and in-painting. Canvas relined. Frame in excellent condition.
Our reference: BRV654

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

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