Henrik Stampe

item details

NameHenrik Stampe

ProductionJohan Preissler; engraver (printmaker); 1793; Denmark
Jens Juel; artist

Classificationprints, engravings, etchings, portraits, works on paper

Materialsink, paper

Materials Summaryengraving and etching on pale blue paper

Techniquesengraving, etching

DimensionsImage: 150mm (width), 220mm (height)

Registration Number1869-0001-389

Credit lineGift of Bishop Monrad, 1869

Overview

It is entirely appropriate that Ditlev Monrad, as a recent prime minister of Denmark, should possess in his print collection an engraved portrait of one of his illustrious predecessors, Henrik Stampe (1713-89), latinised in its title as 'Henricus'. Like Monrad, Stampe was highly learned but a jurist and philosopher rather than a Lutheran bishop. The elderly, obviously toothless Stampe, portrayed posthumously in this engraving by Johann Preissler, was no great beauty, yet he appears thoroughly alert, intelligent and dignified. Stampe wears a broad riband over his right shoulder and a large breast-star on his right breast, the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark), with the monogram of King Christian V.

The engraver is Johan Georg Preisler (or Preissler) (1757-1831), son of the better known Danish-based German engraver Johan Martin Preisler (1715-94), and the portrait is based on a painting by Jens Juel. It was one of the 599 prints presented to the Colonial Museum in 1869 by Monrad, which formed the foundation of Te Papa's art collection.

Dr Mark Stocker Curator, Historical International Art March 2019

The engraving is based on a portrait by Jans Juel.