Anton Ulrik Berndes (1757-1844) - Dame au bonnet de dentelle

Anton Ulrik Berndes (1757-1844)
Portrait of a Lady
Pastel
Signed and dated
Measurements of the work: 15 × 14 cm
Measurements with frame: 34.5 × 31 cm

Exceptional female portrait executed in pastel by the Swedish artist Anton Ulrik Berndes (1757-1844), one of the most prominent Scandinavian miniaturists and portraitists active from the late 18th century to the first half of the 19th century.

The work depicts a mature lady, shown in bust and frontal view, with a serene and contained expression. The sitter wears an elegant dark outfit accompanied by a broad blue-toned shawl and an elaborate white lace headdress framing the face and draping over the shoulders.

The composition fully conforms to the Neoclassical portrait tradition and the early Nordic Romanticism, characterized by sobriety, clear composition, and a special attention to the psychological individuality of the subject.

Berndes concentrates all attention on the face, delicately modeled through soft color transitions. The flesh tones are built with pinks, ochres, and ivory, contrasting with the deep blues of the clothing and with the delicate whites and grays of the lace.

Particularly notable is the treatment of the headdress, created with small light touches that manage to reproduce the transparency and lightness of the fabric. The bluish-gray background, discretely graded, allows the figure to stand out without introducing accessory elements that would distract from the sitter’s personality.

The execution presents the precision and refinement typical of miniature painting, a genre in which Berndes earned special recognition. Despite its small dimensions—barely 15 × 14 cm—the artist manages to develop a presence-filled image, extraordinary meticulousness, and notable psychological depth.

The work is signed and dated by the artist, a circumstance that considerably increases its historical, documentary, and collecting interest.

Due to the quality of the execution, the identified authorship, the chronology, and the artist’s importance in the history of Swedish portraiture, it is a museal-quality piece, especially representative of the European tradition of small-format portraiture between Neoclassicism and Romanticism.

About the artist

Anton Ulrik Berndes was born in Alunda, Sweden, in 1757, and died in Stockholm in 1844. He was a painter, miniaturist, engraver, and topographer, and is regarded as one of the leading representatives of Swedish miniature portraiture of his generation.

His artistic training was linked to the tradition of Scandinavian Rococo portraiture. He was influenced by masters such as Gustaf Lundberg, one of the great Swedish portraitists of the 18th century, and the Danish miniaturist Cornelius Høyer. Also fundamental for his development was the influence of Peter Adolf Hall, a prominent Swedish miniaturist established in France.

During his early decades he developed a language close to late Rococo, characterized by the delicacy of flesh tones, the elegance of figures, and a luminous and refined palette.

In 1794 he traveled to Great Britain, where he learned and studied the mezzotint technique. Upon his return, he played a fundamental role in the introduction and diffusion of this printmaking method in Sweden.

With the turn of the century his style progressively evolved toward Neoclassicism and the Empire style, adopting more sober compositions, neutral backgrounds, and greater attention to the psychological characterization of the portrait.

In 1803 he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, a recognition that demonstrates the regard his work earned in the Swedish art scene.

He is attributed a production close to 600 miniatures, including portraits of nobles, officials, military, bourgeois, and personalities related to the Swedish court. Among his sitters are figures belonging to the most relevant circles of Scandinavian society at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century.

Besides pastel and miniature, Berndes worked in drawing, painting, and various graphic techniques. His works are now part of important Scandinavian institutional collections, including the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.

His oeuvre constitutes an important testimony to the transformation of Swedish portraiture from the Rococo elegance of the 18th century to the greater austerity and psychological depth of Neoclassicism and early Romanticism.

Condition

The work shows normal signs related to its age, including possible small stains, oxidation, light scuffs, or surface alterations compatible with a piece of roughly two centuries old.

The pastel retains notable chromatic richness and excellent legibility of the figure.

Carefully examine the photographs, which are an essential part of the description and allow appreciation of the actual conservation status.

The frame shows signs of age and use, including scuffs, small losses, cracks, and gilding wear. It is provided as a complement to the work and without commercial value; its condition will not be the subject of complaint.

The work will be carefully packed to ensure proper protection during transport.

Customs duties, tariffs, import taxes, handling fees, and any other charges required in the destination country will be the sole responsibility of the buyer. Shipping may incur additional charges in countries requiring customs procedures or special import handling. The seller is not responsible for possible delays, detentions, or incidents arising from customs procedures.