Antique Icelandic Portrait Print – Gudmundur Sivertsen Studying in France, 1842

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Antique Portrait of Gudmundur Sivertsen – Icelandic Student in France, 1842

This portrait depicts Gudmundur Sivertsen, an Icelandic youth who, as noted in the plate inscription, was “élevé en France sous la protection de S. M. Louis Philippe” – brought up in France under the protection of King Louis Philippe. The lithograph presents him in formal dress, with folded arms and a composed expression, embodying the ideal of a cultivated young man of promise. His inclusion in Paul Gaimard’s publication highlights the cultural and political connections between Iceland and France during the first half of the 19th century.

The plate was issued as Plate 1 in *Voyage en Islande et au Groenland*, published in Paris in 1842 by Paul Gaimard (1793–1858), the French naval surgeon and naturalist who participated in numerous major expeditions, including Freycinet’s circumnavigation and Dumont d’Urville’s voyage aboard the Astrolabe. His 1835 expedition to Iceland, officially to search for the lost expedition of Jean de Blosseville, produced instead one of the most comprehensive illustrated works on Iceland and Greenland of the period. The book combined natural history, landscapes, ethnographic views, and portraits such as this one, situating individuals within the broader cultural and intellectual life of the North Atlantic.

This lithograph was drawn by Maurin after Durupt and published through the atelier of Lemercier in Paris, one of the foremost lithographic studios of the 19th century. Its refined shading, sharp detail, and balanced composition reveal the finesse of Parisian lithography at its peak. More than a likeness, the portrait embodies the aspirations of Icelanders entering the European intellectual and cultural stage under royal patronage.

Condition report: Good impression with clear image and wide margins. Light overall toning with scattered foxing in the margins, not affecting the portrait. Plate mark visible.

Framing tips: A refined dark wood or ebony frame with a cream or pale grey mat will best emphasize the delicate tonal gradations of the lithograph. A gilt inner line can add an elegant touch, reflecting the sitter’s royal patronage.