File:Christopher Foltmar - Sophia Magdalena Queen-consort of Denmark.jpg

"Christopher Foltmar (1718-1759) "Sophia Magdalena Queen-consort of Denmark", fine miniature, 1740/50

Still in its original frame with the Royal crown on top, it is a miniature portrait of Sophia Magdalena, Queen-consort of Denmark, née Margravin of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1700-1770; CLICK HERE for her extensive biography).

As our comparison images nr. 6-9 convincingly prove, it is a typical work of Danish Court miniaturist Christopher Foltmar.

Christopher Foltmar (1718 Copenhagen - 1759 Copenhagen) came from a family of musicians and was himself a trained organist, but had drawn attention to himself by painting of a few miniatures. He painted miniatures on i.a. parchment and organic wafers. He did not take full advantage of the effects found in organic material that miniature painters began to use in the 18th century. He tried himself in 1752 as an enamel painter, an initiative which the following year was supported by the king, but no enamels of him can be detected. Foltmar had his own easily recognizable style, characterized by both Hinrich Jacob Pohl's vibrant color scale and C.G. Pilos dramatic rococo style. He was the leading miniature painter of the time. His great popularity was due to his joy of color and ability to fit the models in a time-typical arrangement, with e.g. trees, flowers and vases.

In 1748 King of Denmark appointed him miniature painter to the Court. Foltmar was much in demand, not only by the royal family but also in a large circle of the country's most prominent families who had their portraits painted by him. His portraits never possessed any particular psychological depth, but he was good in arranging his sitters in surroundings typical for the day and with backgrounds such as buildings, parks or vases of flowers, and he was also a tasteful colourist. He was an amateur, and his art always retains a touch of naiveté (extract from Torben Holck Colding "Miniature - og Emaillenmaleri i Danmark 1606-1850", Copenhagen 1991)."