P. C. Skovgaard
Encyclopedia
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...
national romantic
Romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
painter, was born near Ringsted
Ringsted
Ringsted, a city in Ringsted municipality, is in the middle of the Danish island of Zealand. The municipal population is about 31,000 and the city population is 21,151 .Ringsted is approximately 60 km from Copenhagen.-Modern hotspot:...
to farmer Tham Masmann Skovgaard and his wife Cathrine Elisabeth. He is one of the main figures associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting
Golden Age of Danish Painting
The Danish Golden Age covers the period of creative production in Denmark, especially during the first half of the 19th century. Although Copenhagen had suffered from fires, bombardment and national bankruptcy, the arts took on a new period of creativity catalysed by Romanticism from Germany...
. He is especially known for his large scale portrayals of the Danish landscape.
Family life / Growing up
The family had to leave the farm when he was six years old. They moved to VejbyHelsinge
Until 1 January 2007, Helsinge was a municipality in Frederiksborg County on the north coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. It had a total population of 19,473 , but in the summer months the population grew to over 36.000 people. Its last mayor was Claus Lange, a member of the...
in north Sjælland where his father earned his living as a grocer. Already as a young child he impressed his family with his artistic abilities. His mother, who had studied art under flower painter Claudius Ditlev Fritsch, gave him instructions in drawing until he was confirmed and could be sent to 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...
for training 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...
(Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi).
Art studies / Training at the Academy
He started his training at the Academy in 1831. He did not think much of this training or of that under private lessons starting in 1836 with J. L. LundJ. L. Lund
Johan Ludwig Gebhard Lund , , Danish painter, was born in Kiel, Duchy of Holstein, to master painter Hans Giewert Lund and his wife Maria Magdalena Christina Bremer...
, 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...
history painter
History painting
History painting is a genre in painting defined by subject matter rather than an artistic style, depicting a moment in a narrative story, rather than a static subject such as a portrait...
. More advantageous to him, he felt, were the time he spent learning craft painting; the time he spent visiting the Danish Royal Painting Collection, now the National Museum of Art
Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
and studying the classical Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
landscapes in their collection; the outdoors studies
En plein air
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism...
he did with friends Christian Gotfred Rump, J. Th. Lundbye, Thorald Læssøe, Dankvart Dreyer and Lorens Frølich; and the many evenings he spent with other young artists at sculptor and Academy professor Herman Ernst Freunds’ fashionable house. Christoffer Wilhelm 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...
, Academy professor, former Director and long-standing rival of Lund, although not Skovgaard’s teacher, played an influential role by encouraging and arranging field studies for Academy students to paint outdoors, including to Jægersborg Dyrehave
Dyrehavsbakken
Dyrehavsbakken , commonly referred to as Bakken , is the world's oldest operating amusement park. It is located near Klampenborg but belongs under Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune, Denmark about 10 km north of Copenhagen...
, an area which Skovgaard featured several times in his mature work.
In 1836 he started at the Academy’s School of Model Painting, and exhibited at Charlottenborg for the first time. His painting "Måneskinsstykke med Motiv fra Langebro" ("Moonlight piece with Motif from Langebro") was purchased by Crown Prince Christian Frederick
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
and is now in the collection of the Copenhagen City Museum.
With the attention and encouragement of such highly regarded contemporaries as Niels Lauritz Høyen
Niels Lauritz Høyen
Niels Laurits Andreas Høyen, , Danish is considered to be the first Danish art historian and critic. He promoted a Danish nationalistic art through his writings and lectures, and exerted a far reaching effect on contemporary artists...
, art critic, historian and Academy professor whom he admired, and Christian Jürgensen Thomsen
Christian Jürgensen Thomsen
Christian Jürgensen Thomsen was a Danish archaeologist.In 1816 he was appointed head of 'antiquarian' collections which later developed into the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. While organizing and classifying the antiquities for exhibition, he decided to present them chronologically...
, noted archaeologist and museum administrator, Skovgaard got the nerve to focus his career goals on art, and turn away from craft painting.
At first Skovgaard painted more than just landscapes; he also painted portraits, interiors with figures, as well as watercolor illustrations of Hans Christian Andersen’s adventure tales, that are now in The Royal Engraving Collection (Den kongelige Kobberstiksamling).
But landscape painting soon took the better part of his interest and attention. And with this focus he became recognised for his talents in truthfully and ideally depicting the nature of Denmark, based on careful study and on artistic and technical skills and training. He painted numerous paintings in and around Vejby, his family’s home area, in these early years, and he showed many different influences before developing his own assured style.
In 1937 and 1938 the Copenhagen Art Union (‘’Kunstforening’’), under the leadership of Høyen, purchased several of his paintings. And in 1839 the Danish Royal Painting Collection (Den kongelige Malerisamling) purchased the large scale "Udsigt mod Frederiksværk fra Tisvilde Skov" ("View to Frederiksværk from Tisvilde Forest"). This work distinguishes itself clearly from those landscapes painted by his contemporaries both by the harsh wildness of the subject matter, and by its dark moodiness. This was also atypical of his later work, which was much more peaceful.
In 1841 he made a painting of Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg castle is a castle in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. The current building replaced a previous castle erected by Frederick II, and is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia...
, which hangs there today.
During the 1840s he traveled around the country painting views of the landscape, often with friend and contemporary artist Lundbye. One of the landscapes from his home town "I udkanten af landsbyen Vejby, Lundbye sidder ved vejkanten og tegner" ("On the Outskirts of Vejby Village, Lundbye Sits at the Side of the Road and Draws") painted in 1843 shows Lundbye at work. Lundbye and Skovgaard spent the summer of 1943 together in the area around Vejby. Another well-known work from this same period is "Havremark ved Vejby" ("Oat Field near Vejby").
That same year he traveled to Møn
Møn
-Location:Møn is located just off the south-eastern tip of Zealand from which it is separated by the waters of the Hølen strait between Kalvehave and the island of Nyord, at the northern end of Møn. Further south is Stege Bugt...
and painted "Parti fra Møns Klint" ("View from Møns Klint"), which features the island’s unique, monumental white chalk cliffs. The painting is in the collection of local Storstrøms Kunstmuseum (Storstrøms Art Museum).
That same year he exhibited at Charlottenborg and received the established art world’s recognition by winning the Neuhausen prize (‘’Neuhausenske Præmie‘’) for the painting "Det gamle Egetræ med Storkereden i Nordskoven ved Jægerspris" ("The Old Oak Tree with Stork Nest in the North Forest near Jægerspris"), which also came into the Danish Royal Painting Collection. This painting shows a strong development in his landscape painting abilities. In 1844 he exhibited "Parti af Sjællands Kyst ved Dronningemøllen, Foraarsdag med uroligt Vejr" ("View of Sjælland’s Coast by Droningemøllen, Stormy Spring Day") also known as "Åens Udløb" ("The Stream’s Outflow"), which also came into the royal collection.
In 1845 he won the Artists Exhibition Medallion for his large " Udsigt over Skarrit Sø" ("View Over Lake Skarrit"), which came into the National Collection, as the Danish Royal Painting Collection came to be known around this time. He also exhibited "Parti ved Udkanten af Tisvilde Skov" ("View at the Edge of Tisvilde Forest"), which was purchased by Høyen’s Art Union.
Developing his craft
Instead of seeking a travel stipend from the Academy, Skovgaard chose to follow his friend Høyen’s advice and continue to develop his craft in Denmark using Danish landscapes as his subject matter. In the years to follow he traveled around in northern Sjælland every summer to do studies, which he then reworked as large paintings in his studio every winter. These have resulted in such works as "Sommermiddag i Dyrehaven" ("Summer Day in Dyrehaven") painted in 1848, and "Landevej ved Herregaarden Vognserup" ("Country Road near Vognserup Estate") painted in 1849. The latter was painted in memory of his friend Lundbye, who died in early 1848.After 1850 he developed a monumental form of expression that held great importance for the following generation of artists.
He married Georgia Marie Louise Schouw on 3 September 1851. She was the daughter of Professor J.F. Schouw, botanist and politician, and was also an artist. She is primarily known for her embroideries, many of which were based on drawings by the leading artists of the day, including Lundbye, Constantin Hansen
Constantin Hansen
Carl Christian Constantin Hansen was one of the painters associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting. He was deeply interested in literature and mythology, and inspired by art historian Niels Lauritz Høyen, he tried to recreate a national historical painting based on Norse mythology...
as well as her husband. The Skovgaards had a happy marriage which resulted in three children—Suzette Cathrine, Joakim, and Niels.
He was recognized as Denmark biggest name in landscape painting, and received many orders for his works. He particularly enjoyed painting at Jægersborg Dyrehave
Dyrehavsbakken
Dyrehavsbakken , commonly referred to as Bakken , is the world's oldest operating amusement park. It is located near Klampenborg but belongs under Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune, Denmark about 10 km north of Copenhagen...
, but often went further north on Sjælland, for example to Hellebæk
Hellebæk
Hellebæk is a town in North Zealand in Denmark. It has a population of 5,578 and is sited by the Øresund about 5 kilometres north of Helsingør, in Helsingør Municipality and the Capital Region....
where he painted
"Aften ved Bondedammen" ("Evening by the Farm Pond").
Travel to foreign lands
He traveled out of the county with a stipend from the Academy first in 1854. He spent the winter in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, along with both his wife, Høyen and Wilhelm Marstrand
Wilhelm Marstrand
Nicolai Wilhelm Nikolaj Marstrand , painter and illustrator, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to Nicolai Jacob Marstrand, instrument maker and inventor, and Petra Othilia Smith...
. He produced several paintings based on this trip, including two views of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, a Roman landscape and a portrait of Høyen preparing to meet the Pope.
Career development
Shortly after his homecoming in 1855 he painted his well-known "Bøgeskov i maj" ("Beech Forest in May") featuring the quintessential Danish beechBeech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
forest. .
In 1860 he became titular professor at the Academy. He traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1862 along with Høyen; his work was exhibited at the World’s Exhibition in London that year. He was accepted as member of the Academy in 1864. He traveled again to London and Paris in 1866.
His wife died in 1868, and shortly afterwards he suffered a case of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
. He recovered rather quickly, being able to continue painting soon afterwards with no ill effects.
In 1869 he returned to Italy together with Marstrand under an award from the Ancker Fund (Anckerske Legat), and painted several Italian landscapes. That same year he painted "En Skovsø, Sommeraften" ("A Forest Lake, Summer Evening") and in 1874 "En Sommerdag i Dyrehaven; et Tordenvejr er trukket forbi og Solen atter kommen frem" ("A Summer Day in Dyrehave; a Thunderstorm has Passed and the Sun Comes Out Again"), two paintings considered among his most important and harmonious works. The latter was his last large work, and was an important study example of his technique for his students.
He painted portraits of each of his three children between 1871-1874.
.
He died on 13 April 1875 in Copenhagen at the age of 58. A religious man, he died quickly after suffering another apoplexy attack as he came out of church with his children. He is buried in Assistens Cemetery (Assistens Kirkegård) in Copenhagen. Two of his children, Joakim and Niels, would follow in his footsteps and become artists.
His work was exhibited in the World’s Exhibition in Paris in 1878 and 1889, and at the international Art Exhibition in Vienna in 1882.
The results of a fruitful life
He is primarily known for his landscape paintings, and for the special role he played in portraying Denmark’s nature; not the spectacular but the ordinary and typical. He helped develop a unique Danish art form and sensibility. He had a deep sympathy for the Danish landscape and its uniqueness, especially Denmark’s beloved beech forests. Animal life and locals that belonged to the land populated these landscapes. He studied nature diligently, and tried to portray it faithfully, yet ideally, and with a love of his country. He was a master of composition, and in his later works he developed an increasing interest in portraying atmosphere and light. The scale of his paintings was a breakthrough in Danish art.He is considered one of the leading landscape painters of the 1800’s.
His art production and academic career had a large influence on landscape painting’s future in Denmark.
He occasionally painted portraits. These skillful works include paintings of his family and children, of fellow artists such as Lundbye (1841), of friends such as Amelie Elisabeth Freunds (1860), H. E. Freunds’ wife, and of society’s important people such as N.F.S. Grundtvig (1847), of whom he was a big admirer.
His work has been shown both in Denmark and internationally in numerous exhibitions of Danish art, and especially art representative of the Golden Age of Danish Painting
Golden Age of Danish Painting
The Danish Golden Age covers the period of creative production in Denmark, especially during the first half of the 19th century. Although Copenhagen had suffered from fires, bombardment and national bankruptcy, the arts took on a new period of creativity catalysed by Romanticism from Germany...
. These include exhibitions in London (1907, 1948), Paris (1928, 1984-1985), New York City (1960-1961, 1964), and Rome (1974).
His works are in the collection of many Danish museums including the Danish National Gallery (Statens Museum for Kunst)
Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
, the Hirschsprung Collection
Heinrich Hirschsprung
Heinrich Hirschsprung was a Danish tobacco manufacturer, arts patron and art collector, founder of the Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen, a museum dedicated to Danish art from the 19th and early 20th century....
, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum in Copenhagen, Denmark...
, Copenhagen’s City Museum, Thorvaldsens Museum
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...
, Ordrupgaard, and local art museums in Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
, and Ribe
Ribe
Ribe , the oldest extant Danish town, is in southwest Jutland and has a population of 8,192 . Until 1 January 2007, it was the seat of both the surrounding municipality, and county...
.
Another Danish national romantic landscape painters of his generation, in addition to lifelong friend J.T. Lundbye, was Vilhelm Kyhn
Vilhelm Kyhn
Peter Vilhelm Carl Kyhn, was a Danish landscape painter who belonged to the generation of national romantic painters immediately after the Danish Golden Age and before the Modern Breakthrough...
.
The Skovgaard Museum in Viborg
Viborg, Denmark
Viborg , a town in central Jutland, Denmark, is the seat of both Viborg municipality and Region Midtjylland. Viborg is also the seat of the Western High Court, the High Court for the Jutland peninsula...
is dedicated to the artistic production of the entire Skovgaard family. A number of paintings by P.C. Skovgaard are in the museum’s collection.
See also
- List of Danish painters
- Art of DenmarkArt of DenmarkDanish art goes back thousands of years with significant artifacts from the 2nd millennium BC, such as the Trundholm sun chariot. Art from modern Denmark forms part of the art of the Nordic Bronze Age, and then Norse and Viking art...