Anna Ancher (b. Skagen 1859, d. s.p. 1935)
“Fåreklipning”. Sheep shearing. A woman from Skagen shearing a sheep. A young man holding the hind legs, while a little girl holds the sheep's head. Signed and dated A. Ancher 1907. Oil on canvas. 61×66 cm.
Exhibited: Charlottenborg 1907 no. 12.
It is not the first time Anna Ancher has painted this motif. Kunsten, Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg has a more sketchy painting dated 1900 (Inv. No. NK 11). The composition is not quite the same though: The seated Skagen woman holds the sheep's head in her lap while her husband shears the sheep and the little girl stands on the left watching.
See Elisabeth Fabritius, “Anna og Michael Ancher. Breve og fotografier”, 2018, vol. 4, letter 2376, here a Mr. Harry Andersen writes (in Danish) to Michael Ancher on 31 March 1910 after a visit to Ancher's studio in Copenhagen: “Also Mrs Anna Ancher's ”Lamb shearing“ was particularly to my taste. Since I am not a Capitalist, I kindly request you to inform me YOUR VERY CHEAPEST PRICE ...”. Anna Ancher receives the information and replies Michael (in Danish) in letter 2377 dated 2 April 1910: “...and my sheep shearing, yes, you can sell it pretty cheap;..”.
Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen auction 617, 1995 no. 283, ill. p. 167.
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, 29 November 2022