(Danish, 1855-1930)

Kgl, Kapelmester Georg Hoeberg, signed lower right "Erik Henningsen", signed and inscribed verso, original labels verso, oil on canvas laid on plywood panel, 13 x 10 in.; wood parcel painted frame, 18-1/2 x 14-7/8 x 2 in.

Provenance: Woburn Abbey Antiques Centre, Bedfordshire, purchased 2001 for BP 1,350/$2,133; Private Collection; Virginia Private Collection

Note: This painting by Danish artist Erik Ludwig Henningsen depicts conductor and composer Georg Hoeberg at his final concert performance in Copenhagen, shortly after his 1930 retirement. Flowers at his feet and floodlights on his face evoke a moment of quiet tribute, while a solitary figure behind the curtain adds a subtle emotional counterpoint. Exhibited in 1931, the work is both a personal and cultural homage to Hoeberg, a significant figure in Danish music whose legacy includes the earliest known recording of a Carl Nielsen symphony. Erik Henningsen, a graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, was known for both light-hearted social scenes and poignant social realism. Though overshadowed by modernist movements, his detailed, narrative style has gained renewed attention. Internationally recognized in his lifetime, he received major awards in Berlin and Munich and became widely known for his iconic Tuborg poster, The Thirsty Man, still used today. His body of work spans genre, history, and social commentary, and is well represented in the Hope Gallery, Utah, which has played a key role in reviving interest in Danish naturalist painting.