Danmarks Kunstbibliotek the Danish National Art Library
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Digitaliseret af / Digitised by Danmarks Kunstbibliotek The Danish National Art Library København / Copenhagen For oplysninger om ophavsret og brugerrettigheder, se venligst www.kunstbib.dk For information on copyright and user rights, please consult www.kunstbib.dk . o. (ORPORATfON OF Londoi 7IRTG7ILLE1? IgpLO G U i OF THE LOAN COLLECTIO o f Picture 1907 PfeiCE Sixpence <Art Gallery of the (Corporation o f London. w C a t a l o g u e of the Exhibition of Works by Danish Painters. BY A. G. TEMPLE, F.S.A., Director of the 'Art Gallery of the Corporation of London. THOMAS HENRY ELLIS, E sq., D eputy , Chairman. 1907. 3ntrobuction By A. G. T e m p l e , F.S.A, H E earliest pictures in the present collection are T those of C arl' Gustav Pilo, and Jens Juel. Painted at a time in the 1 8 th century when the prevalent and popular manner was that better known to us by the works o f the notable Frenchmen, Largillibre, Nattier, De Troy and others, these two painters caught something o f the naivété and grace which marked the productions of these men. In so clear a degree is this observed, not so much in genre, as in portraiture, that the presumption is, although it is not on record, at any rate as regards Pilo, that they must both have studied at some time in the French capital. N o other painters of note, indigenous to the soil o f Denmark, had allowed their sense of grace such freedom to so express itself. The staid restraint, the cold, passive, yet accurate rendering of much in Danish Art, sparkled in these two instances into animation, even into a gay vitality, Pilo in particular, whose portrait o f the Queen Louisa, from Frederiksborg Castle (No. 1 7 7 ) leaves little to be desired, even when placed in competition with the mapmjtS*Zr*m8?v 'aSroSSassggiBÆS 7 6 Christian Albrecht Jensen (a), Constantin Hansen most vivacious exponents o f French portraiture. The (6), and Christian Kôbke (/), followed very near to subtle touch, the unspeakable expression of charm, Eckersberg in their views and practice, evincing no are manifest, caught from the brilliant city by the aspiration to enlarge the sphere or style in which colder northern nature, in no unwilling spirit, but with they worked, but keeping, with irritating consist delight. Juel never acquired the freedom of Pilo, ency, their unquestionably fine capacities within who in his happiest efforts might reasonably be most prescribed limits. The subjects which satisfied conceived as coming within measurable distance of Kôbke were found within a few steps o f his own the grace o f Fragonard. H e could not so entirely door, and when he essayed portraiture, invariably break the bonds of convention and control, but he on a small scale, he carried into it the sharp allowed himself to be led towards yielding, amid the and unerring insight which so marked his landscape passive aspect which prevailed, to a warmth of painting. The two portraits, Nos. 16 0 and 1 7 2 , in expression, which, in its gentle delineation of their devotion to absolute accuracy, are on a level, in feminine beauty can best find a parallel in the works this respect with the patient productions o f the early o f Greuze. Flemings ; but they are more breathing and lifelike. The immediate successors of these two men gave They are warmer, and o f finer quality than Eckers- no indication of any proclivities of this kind. The berg’s, so that it is small wonder that he too, not only most prominent of them was Eckersberg (born 1 7 8 3 ) had many followers, but drew many o f Eckersberg’s who is generally regarded by his countrymen as the to him as well. founder o f the Danish School o f Painting. He The time came when a new field was offered to studied in Paris under Louis David, in the early part Danish Artists, by the facilities afforded by the Danish o f the nineteenth century. His atelier in Copenhagen Academy of Arts, which admitted of their travelling was continually thronged with pupils, not only o f his and studying in Italy. Eckersberg, o f course, availed own land, but from Germany, and his influence in the himself o f this privilege, but another distinguished special direction in which his characteristics lie, in the painter did so also, Constantin Hansen. It was not passionate craving for truth o f delineation, took deep the warmth o f the Italian clime, or the poetic fervour root. His limited range o f expression, and persistent of its people that he brought into his pictures, but the self-restraint, even in portraiture, can only be atoned pure light o f its skies as his own cold northern eye saw for by the possession o f faultless fundamental qualities it, and an amazing exactitude in the delineation o f its in his aspect o f art, and the fineness and accuracy o f his handiwork, whether in portraiture, architecture (a) Born 1792. (i) Born 1804. (r) Born 1810. or marine subjects. ......- 8 9 ruined architecture, upholding in the highest degree is loosened, and a freedom of handling is seen, due the ideals he had received, and the teaching he had to the artist’s own power o f perception, and to a experienced, from Eckersberg, of, above all things, strength within him to resist the prevailing practice, truth, in the striving for which the glamour and in his efforts to penetrate the feeling in nature (see No. the romantic touch of an illustrious land took second 1 9 5 ). Marstrand (b) was another who sought more place. His studies were chiefly at Pompeii, and freedom in expression, and in many o f his sketches these proved o f great service to him, when, on his he obtained it, notably in the beautiful Venetian return to Denmark, he was commissioned to adorn piece in the National Gallery at Copenhagen; the Hall o f the University with pictures illustrative of and, better had it been had he preserved it in his Ancient Greek mythology. It is the precision of larger and finished works. These mostly have a work which is the fascinating charm o f Hansen’s tightness which fails to command the charm which productions, united as it is, o f course, with the can be claimed for his less finished works. Impul consummate handicraft displayed in its execution. sive and bright, and savouring distinctly o f the No better examples o f these characteristics could be prevailing life o f Italy, this Danish Longhi has left on found than in the two works Nos. 18 3 and 1 8 6 . We record touches of Venetian life which might well go must regard the work of these three men, Jensen in hand in hand with the architectural performances o f portraiture, Hansen in architecture, and Kôbke in Canaletto and Guardi, in the interpretation they portraiture and landscape, from this standpoint, and convey of the life and movement of the place. we can readily conceive it as controlled rather by Italian scenes, however, were not the only ones which a sense o f modesty than by a want o f confidence animated him; subjects from the famous Danish drama in their powers, and study what they have handed tist, Holberg (see No. 230 ), and from historical and down to us as examples o f the most painstaking scriptural sources found employment for his brush, and, drawing and faithful presentments o f the objects in certain domestic compositions, o f which No. 1 7 6 portrayed. Their attraction to the connoisseur lies in may be taken as a most excellent example, his grace the precision and care with which they are executed, o f design and fulness o f pleasant colour mark no and, by these attributes, if by no other, they appeal inconsiderable capacity. When, towards the middle o f to the eye with the keenest delight. the nineteenth century, these seekers after progress in Italy returned to Denmark, they were met by a newly- In Ernst Meyer (a) we encounter one in whose awakening movement in their country’s art, the upholder work the severe accuracy advocated by Eckersberg (/>) Born . (a) Born 1797. 1810 A and broadened views and principles, enlarging thus o f which was the eloquent writer Hoyen. Adopting the general scope o f their country’s outlook, and the principle that Danish art should be a national expanding the style and sphere of its work. While one, both in subject and in form, he endeavoured to influence of this character permeated the Danish tightly bind that which should be free, and, inasmuch artistic community throughout, there were painters as many men o f notable ability endorsed his views like Julius Paulsen and Zahrtmann who held rigidly and accepted his guidance, such as Lundbye with his to their own course, averse to admit their dependence really excellent Danish landcapes of wide expanses, on foreign views and practices, and regarding their and Dreyer, with his fine sense o f national colour, own established ideas as sufficient for them. Yet it P. C. Skovgaard, in his faithful rendering o f Danish is much to be doubted whether any devout follower woodland, Kyhn, with his level stretches full o f glow of the acknowledged founder of their country’s art and feeling, Sonne, Dalsgaard (see No. 18 2 ), and others. could have executed, unaided by foreign inspiration, Obviously, the effect of his teaching was to restrain that most exquisite piece of art by Paulsen, entitled the expansion o f his country’s artistic capacity, by “ Night,” No.