Saturday, October 11, 2014

Skagen Part One: Art and Knitting in Art

I will do my best to describe Skagen. It is the northernmost point in Denmark, in Jutland. It was a major fishing port in the past. It is surrounded by the Skagerrak on the east near Norway, and the Kattegat on the west, near Sweden.






It is a place of immense beauty and light. We drove there from Aarhus, the commuter train arriving more quickly than we did






A big draw to Mom and myself is the art culture in Skagen.  The Skagen Painters, Skagensmalerne, were a group of painters who retreated in Skagen in the summer from the late 1870's until the turn of the century. Much of their work was painted en plain air and their influences included the Impressionists and the Social Realism movements of the time. Some of their work is included at the Skagen Museum. Famous names from this group included: Anna and Michael Ancher, Peder Severin Kroyer, Marie Kroyer, Karl Madsen, Laurits Tuxen, Carl Locher, and Viggo Johansen. The artists would gather at BrΓΈndum's Hotel and eat together in the dining room where they added their art to panels in the wall.




During World War II the paintings were removed as the Germans used the dining room as a gymnasium. In 1946 the walls of the dining room with the paintings in the panels were moved to the Skagen Museum, where we viewed them. 





Perhaps the most famous painting produced by this group was P.S. Kroyer's Summer evening on Skagen Beach




As the artists in this group were painting real people in true life situations, there was much depiction of women's work including sheep shearing, knitting, and  hand knits; here are some that I viewed






 

After our trip, we learned that my 3 Great Grandfather, Rasmus Pederson, drowned in 1851 (in a different part of Denmark) which made this painting, The Drowned Fisherman by Michael Ancher, more poignant….(this is a section of the painting)




Hmm,, a shawl recreation idea here...



 Michael Ancher (another shawl recreation concept)



Anna Ancher



Anna Ancher


Marie Kroyer




And of course some not seen but found online

Michael Ancher


Michael Ancher


There are so many more...

1 comment:

  1. I've always enjoyed the Skagen painters. The last one here is my especial favorite of the ones you've chosen today, I think -- something about the rather sombre colors, perhaps.

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