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The Top 4 Henrik Plötz Paintings, Ranked by Fame
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 4 works by Henrik Plötz in our catalogue
Quick answer
Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher (1785) is Henrik Plötz's best-known painting; the original belongs to the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Portrait of Prince Willem George Frederik (1795) ranks second, Portrait of a woman (1800) third. Our catalogue has 4 works by Henrik Plötz; here are the 4 most famous, ranked, with the year and museum of each, to help you pick the one to order.
1747 – 1830, Pinneberg
Most works: Nationalmuseum
Henrik Plötz: the 10 top-ranked paintings
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Museums holding Henrik Plötz's originals
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Henrik Plötz | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Nationalmuseum |
Stockholm | 2 | Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher, King Khristian VII of Denmark and Norway |
 Rijksmuseum |
Amsterdam | 2 | Portrait of Prince Willem George Frederik, Portrait of a woman |
Top Henrik Plötz painting by decade
Works per decade
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What to know about Henrik Plötz paintings
Which famous Henrik Plötz painting tops the ranking?Show answer
Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher (1785), Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, ranks first, followed by Portrait of Prince Willem George Frederik (1795) and Portrait of a woman (1800).
How old was Henrik Plötz in the year of Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher?Show answer
Henrik Plötz was 38: Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher is dated 1785, and Henrik Plötz was born in 1747.
How many Henrik Plötz works does your catalogue list?Show answer
4 works by Henrik Plötz are in our catalogue, dated 1785 to 1800.
Where can the originals of Henrik Plötz's famous paintings be seen?Show answer
Mainly in Nationalmuseum (Stockholm) and Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam). See the museum table above for the full list.
Which famous Henrik Plötz paintings are the earliest and the latest?Show answer
Earliest on this page: Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher (1785). Latest: Portrait of a woman (1800).
Which Henrik Plötz paintings are held by the Nationalmuseum?Show answer
The Nationalmuseum, Stockholm holds 2 of the paintings ranked here, including Charles Bonnet, Swizz Naturalist and Philosopher and King Khristian VII of Denmark and Norway.
Do you sell reproductions of Henrik Plötz paintings?Show answer
Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print. Open the painting, choose the size and place your order.
Henrik Plötz: life and career
The Life and Versatility of Henrik Plötz
Henrik Plötz was a multifaceted German artist and inventor born in Pinneberg. His diverse talents spanned several disciplines, as he was a painter, flautist, and miniaturist. His early life was marked by significant transitions; after losing his parents at a young age, he was raised by the Danish General Caesar Lüttichau, who ensured he received flute lessons in Fredericia. By 1768, he secured a position in the Royal Chapel in Copenhagen. However, his musical career was altered after a journey to Switzerland, where an illness prevented him from playing the flute further.
Following this, Plötz turned his focus toward visual arts and mechanics. He studied under an enamel painter and later with the mechanician P. J. Droz. His intellectual pursuits led him to Genthod, where he worked with the naturalist Charles Bonnet, creating plates of insects and plants and assisting with botanical and mechanical experiments.
Mechanical Innovations and Artistic Legacy
Plötz was a man of profound technical curiosity, known for inventing precision instruments. He developed a physionotrace and a pantograph to create profile portraits with mechanical accuracy. His inventive spirit continued in Naples and later in Berlin, where he shared an atelier with Christian Hornemann. In 1799, he moved to Copenhagen to serve as a court mechanician under Christian Günther von Bernstorff. During his time in Copenhagen, he invented various devices, including a stamping machine designed to produce non-copyable banknotes.
His artistic output was notable for its dedication to the European tradition of miniature painting. His legacy also extended through his family, as his son, Carl Ludwig, followed in his footsteps as a miniature painter.