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August Strindberg, 1849-1912
Hand-painted oil reproduction from $181 24 × 42 cm
Same size as the original $532 85 × 148 cm Order at original size →
The painting that made Sofie Holten famous is August Strindberg, 1849-1912 (1885); it hangs in the National Portrait Gallery of Sweden, Strängnäs. Of the 1 works by Sofie Holten in our catalogue, these 1 are the most admired, each presented with its date, its museum and what sets it apart.
Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated November 2026. Every masterpiece on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, at the size you choose.
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Sofie Holten | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Portrait Gallery of Sweden |
Strängnäs | 1 | August Strindberg, 1849-1912 |
Every dated masterpiece of Sofie Holten on this page belongs to 1885: here they are.
August Strindberg, 1849-1912 (1885).
27 years old: August Strindberg, 1849-1912 dates from 1885 and Sofie Holten was born in 1858.
Our catalogue lists 1 works by Sofie Holten.
Most of them are in National Portrait Gallery of Sweden (Strängnäs). The table above lists the museums one by one.
Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, in the size you choose, from the painting's own page.
Born on 12 August 1858 in Skuldelev, Denmark, Sofie Holten grew up as the daughter of a parish priest, Hans Nicolai Holten. Her early years were shaped by the quiet rhythms of Danish life, yet her ambitions reached far beyond the borders of her birthplace. After receiving private instruction from Christen Dalsgaard and Carl Thomsen, she sought the wider horizons of Paris. In the French capital, she studied under Félix-Joseph Barrias and Alfred Stevens, absorbing the modern methods of painting that would later define her brushwork.
Her travels were as varied as her subjects. During the 1890s, she moved through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, England, and Greece. These excursions provided a steady stream of new sights, from the ancient motifs of the Parthenon to the quiet corners of European landscapes. She was a woman who moved through the world with a clear sense of her own direction, often choosing the independence of her craft over the traditional path of marriage.
Holten’s work was never confined to a single genre. She found equal expression in portraits, flower paintings, and scenes of everyday life. Some of her most noted portraits captured figures such as August Strindberg and L. A. Ring. Her ability to translate the character of her sitters onto canvas earned her recognition at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition and the Salon in Paris. She also brought her eye for detail to historical subjects, creating works inspired by the Parthenon Frieze.
Beyond the studio, her life was defined by a deep commitment to social change. She was a voice for women, writing reviews of female artists in Kvinden og Samfundet and advocating for practical changes in women's lives, such as more functional clothing. In 1895, she acted as a driving force behind the Copenhagen Women's Exhibition. Her dedication to her community and her faith remained constant throughout her later years.
In her later life, Holten found a spiritual home in Roman Catholicism after spending time in Assisi, Italy. She settled in Roskilde with her friend Erikke Rosenørn-Lehn, where she contributed to the local landscape through her art. Her work decorating the St Laurenti Church in Roskilde remains a significant part of her legacy, earning her the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award.
When she passed away on 5 June 1930, she left behind a body of work that reflected both her technical skill and her personal convictions. Her life was marked by several notable achievements: