Anna Ancher (b. Skagen 1859, d. s.p. 1935)
Interior with Anna's brother helmsman John H. Brøndum (1862–1918), playing chess with a young woman. 1880s. Signed A. Ancher. Charcoal on paper. Visible size 33×43 cm.
John was charming and known as quite the ladies' man. Unfortunately, it is not known exactly who the female chess player represents. It can possibly present the Swedish singer Gerda Carolina Fredrika Ahlborn (1855–1931) who visited Skagen together with the painter Anna Palm (1859–1924) in 1884. John became good friends with the two Swedish artists and they had a cheerful summer together. The second possibility is the Norwegian painter Wilhelm Peters' first wife, the Italian Aromatari, whom he married in c. 1880. They visited Skagen in 1881 and 1883.
Provenance: The seller's father-in-law worked at Brøndums Hotel in Skagen, where he received the drawing as a gift from Anna Ancher.
This auction also shows P. S. Krøyer's slightly older portrayal of Anna's brother (see catalog no. 87).
Please note: The item is subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. In the event of a hammer price of DKK 50,000 or more, including buyer’s premium, the buyer must submit a copy of a valid photo ID and proof of address in order to collect the item.
Paintings and drawings, 1 June 2021