Womankind – August 2019

37

Artist

At age 20, Danish painter Vil-

helm Hammershøi trained with

Skagen artist Peder Severin Krøyer,

who took an interest in the artistic

progress of his young pupil. “I have a

student who paints quite strangely,”

wrote Krøyer about Hammershøi. “I

don’t understand him, think that

he will become prominent, will try

not to influence him.”

Hammershøi, a quiet son of a

merchant, had been drawing since

age eight. He married Ida at 27, and

the couple lived in two apartments,

Strandgade 30, and a few doors

away, Strandgade 25, in the Chris-

tianshavn district of Copenhagen.

It was in these apartments that

Hammershøi created his interiors,

depicting near empty rooms or the

sole figure of his wife Ida, turning

from view. Painted in a muted and

restricted colour palette, his domes-

tic interiors provoke an odd psy-

chological tension in the viewer.

“I have always felt that such rooms

possess great beauty, even if there

are no people in it; or perhaps pre-

cisely when there are none,” he said

in a rare interview in 1907. Nine

years later Hammershøi died of

throat cancer, leaving an immense

body of work. Krøyer’s premonition

for his young pupil’s destiny was

prescient. In 2012, Hammershøi’s

painting, Ida Reading a Letter, was

auctioned in London for the high-

est price ever paid for Danish art.

Art

VILHELM HAMMERSHØI

The quiet son of a merchant

became the most revered artist

in Danish history.

Artist VILHELM HAMMERSHØI

Three Young Women, 1895, Vilhelm Hammershøi

Ida Reading a Letter, 1899,

Vilhelm Hammershøi

37

Artist

At age20, Danishpainter Vil-

helm Hammershøi trained with

SkagenartistPederSeverinKrøyer,

whotookaninterestintheartistic

progressof hisyoungpupil.“I havea

studentwhopaintsquitestrangely,”

wroteKrøyeraboutHammershøi.“I

don’t understand him, think that

hewillbecomeprominent,willtry

nottoinfluencehim.”

Hammershøi, a quiet son of a

merchant,hadbeendrawingsince

ageeight.HemarriedIdaat27,and

thecouplelivedintwoapartments,

Strandgade 30, and a few doors

away,Strandgade25,intheChris-

tianshavn districtof Copenhagen.

It was in these apartments that

Hammershøi created his interiors,

depictingnearemptyroomsorthe

solefigure ofhis wife Ida, turning

fromview.Paintedina mutedand

restrictedcolourpalette,hisdomes-

tic interiors provoke an odd psy-

chological tension in the viewer.

“Ihavealwaysfeltthatsuchrooms

possess greatbeauty, even ifthere

arenopeopleinit;orperhapspre-

ciselywhentherearenone,”hesaid

ina rare interview in1907. Nine

years later Hammershøi died of

throatcancer,leavinganimmense

bodyofwork.Krøyer’spremonition

for his young pupil’s destiny was

prescient. In 2012, Hammershøi’s

painting, IdaReading a Letter, was

auctionedinLondonforthehigh-

estpriceeverpaidforDanishart.

Art

VILHELMHAMMERSHØI

The quiet son of a merchant

became the mostrevered artist

in Danish history.

Artist VILHELM HAMMERSHØI

Three Young Women, 1895, Vilhelm Hammershøi

Ida Reading a Letter, 1899,
Vilhelm Hammershøi