The rediscovery of Geskel Saloman

A masterpiece by a Danish Jewish artist is resurrected in its former glory 

The Danish Jewish Museum is participating in an ambitious collaborative project, where the National Museum of Denmark (SMK) has received support to restore, exhibit and disseminate a previously overlooked major work by the Danish Jewish artist Geskel Saloman (1821–1902).

The painting Marsk Stig's daughters has had a remarkable fate. For 60 years (1917–1977) it was deposited at Hillerødgades Skole in Nørrebro, where it lived a neglected life – surrounded by school lunches and ball games. After more than 100 years in oblivion, SMK will bring Saloman's painting back to the public eye.

A motif with renewed relevance

Interest in the work was sparked in 2023 when visual artist Yvette Brackman discovered the painting during her research in the SMK collections. She was investigating overlooked narratives that could shed light on the broader Jewish cultural history. In Marsk Stig's daughters she found a story of exile and homelessness – themes that resonate deeply in Jewish culture and history. Despite the painting’s poor condition, Brackman chose to include it in her exhibition at SMK in 2024.

Extensive restoration and new research

The restoration will take place in the SMK's conservation department and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026. The painting is in critical condition with several tears and peeling. The canvas needs to be stabilized, the paint layer secured, and the original, ornamented gold frame requires extensive treatment. In parallel with the restoration, a research project is being initiated that will shed light on the work's reception history and significance in Saloman's oeuvre.

Museum practice as history maker

The project is an example of how museum priorities shape both collections and cultural heritage. The work’s recent resurgence is not only due to its physical condition, but also to changing professional agendas. It shows how inclusion in a collection is more than a registration – it is a cultural act with great significance for which stories are told, preserved and rediscovered.

The work is released to the public

Once the restoration is complete, the Marsk Stig's daughters will be presented in a special exhibition at the Danish Jewish Museum. Here, Yvette Brackman – in collaboration with both the museum and SMK – will invite the audience to a number of dissemination activities, including salons and performances, that will put the work and its artist in perspective. Later, the painting will be included in SMK's new collection presentation, which will open in the fall of 2028. Until then, we will continuously share news about the restoration work and the insights that the research brings to light.

→ Read more about the project at SMK