Figure 1.-- Here is a delightful vintage portrait by Danish arrtist Hans Christian Jensen, depicting a thoughtful-looking boy, wearing a sailor suit and holding a small slate (blackboard) in his hands. Boys often wore sailor suits to school where slates like the boy is holding were commonly used. There is something written on the late. We can make out the date which is 1895, but we are unsure about the word written there. Click on the image to see if you can make it out. A reader thinks it says Greenland.

Hans was born in Copenhagem (1836). He was a pupil of Vilhelm Marstrand, along with Otto Bache and Vilhelm Rosenstand. He began his career as a landscape painter and was quickly seen as an aemomous talent. He was awarded s range of medals and other accolades for his work. As a still yong man, the Germns inved, both Austria and Prusia -- the Danidsh-Prussia War (1864). It was all part of Chabcellor Bimsarck's master plan. Like other patriotic Dames, Jensen olunteered to join the small Danish Army. He was wonded in the Battle of Als and he lost a aeg. . The resulting loss of mobility caused him ttake up to portraiture which could be dome with little mobility. His prodiouius alent made him a leading Danig portaiture. He won commissions to paint the leading Danish dignitaries of the day. This included King Christian IX and Queen Caroline Amalie of Augustenborg. We also see some portraits of children. He repreatedly exhibited at Charlottenborg in Copenhagen. Besides he exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris (1878). Here is a delightful vintage portrait by Danish arrtist Hans Christian Jensen, depicting a thoughtful-looking school boy, wearing a sailor suit and holding a small slate (blackboard) in his hands (figure 1). Boys often wore sailor suits to school where slates like the boy is holding were commonly used. The boy is seen half length while sitting in an upholstered chair. He is looking directly towards the viewer. The portrait is signed and dated 1895. A reader writes, "I believe that the word on the slate in the portrait here which appears to be "Grland," may be an abbreviation for Greenland. The artist was Danish, and Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. This makes it more likely that there may have been some relationship to Greenland in the picture. I have occassionally seen Greenland abbreviated "Grland." The Danish word for Greenland is Gronland spelled with a letter which looks like an "o" with a slash through it."

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Created: 2:57 AM 5/8/2006
Last updated: 5:44 AM 1/15/2026