The 83-year-old Danish Queen Margrethe II, who abdicated on 14 January 2024, was not only the first female sovereign of her country but also an artist whose paintings have been shown in exhibitions in Denmark and abroad. Only a few of her works have been able to be acquired publicly, as most were gifted to people close to the Queen.
This March, however, Bruun Rasmussen will auction one of the Queen's artworks: an untitled acrylic painting with an estimated price of 75,000-100,000 Danish kroner (about £8000 - £11,400).
Queen Margrethe II has had an interest in art since childhood. Her artwork became known to the public in the late 1970s when she illustrated a Danish edition of JRR Tolkien's story The Lord of the Rings under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer.
According to the Danish royal house's website, Queen Margrethe II has been active in a variety of artistic fields. In addition to painting and illustration, she has also devoted herself to decoupage, embroidery, textile art and design of scenography and costumes for ballets and films.
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Niels Boe-Hauggaard, Bruun Rasmussen's specialist and head of the department of modern art, explains that it is very rare to see the Queen's paintings for sale. "We are very much looking forward to offering this work by HM Queen Margrethe II, which testifies to the Queen's great passion and work in art and creative work," he said. "Her great activity in the field has long been known to the public, but it is extremely rare that we see her works at auction."
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The abstract and nature-inspired work being auctioned at Bruun Rasmussen was painted in 1988 and was a personal gift from Queen Margrethe II to her then court marshal Hans Sølvhøj (1919-1989). The painting has since been in his family's possession.
