P. C. Skovgaard (b. Ringsted 1817, d. Copenhagen 1875)
Purchased by Skovgaard Museet in September 2016.
“Et siellandsk Landskab, hvortil Motivet er taget ved Fredensborg”. A landscape near Fredensborg, Sjælland. Signed and dated P. C. Skovgaard Marts 1841. Oil on canvas. 116×160 cm.
Exhibited: Charlottenborg 1841 no. 128.
Kunstforeningen, “P. C. Skovgaards Arbejder i 100 Aaret for hans Fødsel”, 1917 no. 41.
Skovgaard Museet, “P. C. Skovgaard-udstillingen”, 1967 no. 13.
Literature: Henrik Bramsen, “Malerier af P. C. Skovgaard”, fig. 11 and mentioned p. 19. Here Bramsen mentions that P. C. Skovgaard and J. Th. Lundbye each painted a landscape near Esrum lake. The latter's painting “Sjællandsk landskab. Åben egn i det nordlige Sjælland” (Open landscape in Northern Sjælland) is now owned by the National Gallery of Denmark. (Reproduced above).
Helsingør Municipality Museums owns a thoroughly prepared watercolour by Skovgaard of this landscape. (Reproduced p. 15).
The two landscapes have not been painted that far from each other, yet they are very different. “Lundbye’s painting has a finely conceived rhythm in its lines. The slope of the hills down towards the right side is well balanced by the road that winds into the landscape. Skovgaard’s painting has a completely different rhythm. The road goes straight into the picture and feels like a surface, not a line, and it is not cut into pieces by a sharp separation of planes. The landscape has thus achieved a solid, palpable spaciousness. In picturesque terms the background scenery is unparalleled. The lakeshore, with Nøddebo Church and the forests, is painted with the sketch’s fullness and freshness".
P. C. Skovgaard was one of the main characters of the Golden Age of Danish paintings, especially known for his grandiose depiction of the Danish landscape. He is the one who if any has been able to reproduce the Danish national landscape. This painting is a fine example of very high quality and one of the first, if not the first in a large format.
Provenance: The painting was originally acquired by Counsellor Hald, who lived in Klareboderne where Gyldendal is today. In 1917 the painting was owned by Miss Hald, then inherited by Bertha Emilie Bech. In 1959 Police Commissioner Ole Bech, Odense inherited the painting, still in his possession in 1967. In the same family until today.
The painting was a competition work for the Neuhausenske prize.
Condition report on request.
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, drawings & books, 20 September 2016