H. A. Brendekilde (b. Brændekilde 1857, d. Jyllinge 1942)
“Skærvehuggere ved stranden. Stevns”. Stone breakers on the beach. Stevns. A little girl helps her grandparents to collect stones, in the background two children with straw hats, hand in hand. Signed and dated H.A. Brendekilde 85. Oil on canvas. 73×103 cm.
Provenance: Winkel & Magnussen auction 340, 1947 no. 26, ill. p. 41. Bruun Rasmussen auction 729, 2004 no. 1273, ill. p. 69.
H.A. Brendekilde and his contemporary L.A. Ring (1854–1933) belonged to the small circle of Danish painters who were inspired by French peasant realism and its interpreters, such as Jean-Francois Millet (1814–1875) and Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848–1884). Especially in the 1880s, Brendekilde produced paintings within this genre. The best known is probably “Udslidt” (Worn out) from 1889, today at Kunstmuseum Brandts in Odense. In the present painting, the poor stone collectors are seen working hard. In the background, children from town on holiday in their fine summer clothes wearing straw hats as protection from the sun. In addition to the social realist content, Brendekilde has managed to create a painting saturated with bright colours and beautiful light.
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Paintings and drawings, 6 December 2023