Ditlev Blunck
Encyclopedia
Ditlev Conrad Blunck was a Danish
painter
associated with the Danish Golden Age during the first half of the 19th century.
in 1798. In 1814 he began his studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Art
in Copenhagen
as a student of C.A. Lorentzen (1746-1828). Concurrently he received teaching from C.W. Eckersberg
together with Wilhelm Bendz
(1804-1832), Ernst Meyer and Albert Küchler
. In 1818 Blunck moved to Munich
, presumably dissatisfied with the teaching he received, and enrolled in the Academy as a student. He stayed there until 1820, then returned to Copenhagen.
Back in Denmark
, Blunck became a student of the new professor, historical painter J.L. Lund (1777-1867), who was to become a major influence on his painting. Thus, it was also mostly history painting, that marked Blunck's early work. Later, through genre painting, it became representative of the kind of everyday realism, that was to appear in Danish art in the mid 1820s.
The influence from J.L. Lund grew particurlarly clear during his stay in Germany
beginning in 1828. In Berlin
, Munich
and Dresden
he became acquainted with J.L. Lund's artist-friends, including the famed romantic
painter Caspar David Friedrich
(1774-1840). He was, however, more influenced by the works of Johann Friedrich Overbeck
(1789-1869) in changing his artistic direction. He began to devote himself to the religious motif and developed like few other Danes a painting style, that was strongly influenced by the Nazarene movement
.
Blunck's stay abroad also brought him to Rome
. Here, he joined the group around Bertel Thorvaldsen
(1770-1844) and produced several of his major paintings including Danish artists in the inn La Gensola.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
associated with the Danish Golden Age during the first half of the 19th century.
Biography
He was born in HolstenHolsten
Holsten Brewery is a brewing company founded in 1879 in what is now Hamburg's Altona-Nord quarter. The group now has seven breweries in Germany. Its nationally distributed premium brand is the pale lager Holsten Pilsener...
in 1798. In 1814 he began his studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Art
Royal Danish Academy of Art
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has provided a practice-oriented complement to the scholarly investigation of the arts carried out at Danish universities for more than 250 years, playing a crucial part in the development of the distinctive tradition of the art of Denmark.- History :The Royal...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
as a student of C.A. Lorentzen (1746-1828). Concurrently he received teaching from C.W. Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Duchy of Schleswig , to Henrik Vilhelm Eckersberg, painter and carpenter, and Ingeborg Nielsdatter...
together with Wilhelm Bendz
Wilhelm Bendz
Wilhelm Ferdinand Bendz Danish painter mainly known for genre works and portrait which often portray his artist colleagues and their daily lives...
(1804-1832), Ernst Meyer and Albert Küchler
Albert Küchler
Albert Küchler was a Danish painter associated with the Danish Golden Age. He mainly painted genre works and portraits. He was highly esteemed by his contemporaries but is little known today.-Early life and education:...
. In 1818 Blunck moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, presumably dissatisfied with the teaching he received, and enrolled in the Academy as a student. He stayed there until 1820, then returned to Copenhagen.
Back in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Blunck became a student of the new professor, historical painter J.L. Lund (1777-1867), who was to become a major influence on his painting. Thus, it was also mostly history painting, that marked Blunck's early work. Later, through genre painting, it became representative of the kind of everyday realism, that was to appear in Danish art in the mid 1820s.
The influence from J.L. Lund grew particurlarly clear during his stay in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
beginning in 1828. In Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
he became acquainted with J.L. Lund's artist-friends, including the famed romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
painter Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
(1774-1840). He was, however, more influenced by the works of Johann Friedrich Overbeck
Johann Friedrich Overbeck
Johann Friedrich Overbeck , was a German painter and member of the Nazarene movement. He also made four etchings.-Biography:...
(1789-1869) in changing his artistic direction. He began to devote himself to the religious motif and developed like few other Danes a painting style, that was strongly influenced by the Nazarene movement
Nazarene movement
The name Nazarene was adopted by a group of early 19th century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art...
.
Blunck's stay abroad also brought him to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Here, he joined the group around Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
(1770-1844) and produced several of his major paintings including Danish artists in the inn La Gensola.