Antique Icelandic Portrait Print – Magnus Hakonarson, Student, Published 1842

About this sheet

Antique Portrait of Magnus Hakonarson – Icelandic Student, 1842

This lithographic portrait represents Magnus Hakonarson, identified in the caption as an “étudiant islandais en médecine et docteur de l’Université” – an Icelandic medical student and doctor of the university. His youthful features, formal attire, and serious expression reflect the rising generation of educated Icelanders in the 19th century, a period when Iceland was still under Danish rule but producing scholars and professionals who would contribute to the nation’s cultural and intellectual awakening.

The print was published as Plate 3 in Voyage en Islande et au Groenland by the French naturalist and naval surgeon Paul Gaimard (1793–1858). Gaimard undertook his Icelandic expedition in 1835, officially to search for the missing expedition of Jean de Blosseville, but the voyage ultimately became a landmark scientific and ethnographic survey of Iceland and Greenland. The resulting publication, printed in Paris in 1842, combined natural history, ethnography, geography, and portraiture, capturing both the landscapes and the people of the North Atlantic.

This portrait was lithographed by Louis Pierre Henriquel-Dupont (or in this case likely produced by the atelier of *Lemercier, Bernard et Cie.* in Paris), after a drawing by artist Julien-Léopold Boilly. The lithographs from Gaimard’s expedition are admired for their refined technique and documentary value. By depicting not only prominent scholars but also younger figures such as Hakonarson, the work underlined the continuity of Icelandic intellectual traditions.

Today, prints from *Voyage en Islande et au Groenland* are sought after by collectors of Icelandic and Arctic material, reflecting a crucial moment when France took an active role in the scientific exploration of the North.

Condition report: Strong impression with good tonal range. Wide margins with some mild toning, light foxing, and edge spotting consistent with age. Image itself clean and well preserved. Plate mark visible.

Framing tips: Best presented in a dark wood or ebony frame with a pale cream or ivory mat. This contrast will emphasize the delicate shading of the portrait and highlight the sitter’s refined features.