Mezzotint in black after Vilhelm Hammershøi's selportrait in the Ufficis in Florence.
In 1928-30 Ilsted executed 15 mezzotints after portraits painted by other artists. As the commercial potential of these portraits was rather limited, one must assume that Ilsted did them to challenge his own skill as an engraver, and as he had become rather prosperous at this time, he could aford to meet the challenge. Five of these portraits were printed and published posthumouslu by the DDRF (The Danish etcher's society) but in the lifetime of Ilsted, they were printed in very small editions and the 10 of them, never reprinted by the DDRF are today rare. This copy - never reprinted - is in the lower left corner dedicated and signed with the monogram in pencil.
Hammershøj, Ilsted's late brother-in-law was married to Ilsted¨'s sister Ida.
A CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ on the graphic work by Ilsted is under preparation. We are seeking information on his etchings and mezzotints