The Authoress Emma Kraft

ENGELSK Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann: The writer Emma Kraft, 1860s, oil on canvas, 119 x 86 cm, Statens Museum for Kunst, KMS3728. After arriving in Denmark in 1849, Jerichau-Baumann became one of the most sought after portrait painters. She portrayed several famous men and women of the era, among others the fairy tale writer H.C. Andersen (1805-75), the politician Orla Lehmann (1810-70) and the actress Johanne Luise Heiberg (1812-90). The portrait of the Danish writer Emma Kraft (1844-1925) is undated, but considering her date of birth and presumed age in the portrait, a qualified estimated dating of the painting would be around 1860-65. In all likelihood, it is a portrait of Emma Kraft in her youth, long before she made her debut as a writer in 1893. Kraft wrote books both for children and adult readers and worked as a translator. Especially her children’s books, such as Mellem Trolde [Among Trolls] illustrated by Louis Moe, are characterized as important contributions to Danish children’s literature. Within the portrait genre, the painting stands out through the convincing materiality in the rendering of the dress and fur as well as the delicate effects of Kraft’s luminous complexion against the golden, softly modulated background. The shimmering colour play in the dress is also captured strikingly, and the red colour running through the bandeau, earring, broche and lips are used to create a sense of liveliness and variation in the otherwise subdued colour scheme.