2314/​556

Rita Kernn-Larsen (b. Hillerød 1904, d. Copenhagen 1998)

Untitled. Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 67×52 cm.

Rita Kernn-Larsen made her debut in 1934 in Copenhagen, and the press called her “a female Danish Picasso”. Before that, she was educated at, among other places, the Norwegian National College of Art and Design in Oslo, the Royal Danish Art Academy in Copenhagen and at Académie Moderne under Fernand Léger. She thus spent most of her artistic life initially in Paris, then in London, and she did not return to Denmark until the mid-50s. Kernn-Larsen participated in several surrealist exhibitions in the 1930s, and she became associated with the artist group known as Linien. For many artists, surrealism offered not just the chance to experiment with style and technique, but also a change in attitude away from the conventions of the bourgeoisie, and it was perhaps this showdown that for several of the progressive female artists of the time seemed particularly enticing.

In recent years, Rita Kernn-Larsen has returned to the forefront of art history in earnest. In 2017, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice curated a representation of her works, and the following year her art was highlighted in Denmark together with her artist colleagues Franciska Clausen and Elsa Thoresen at the exhibition “Women of Surrealism” at the Gammel Strand art association. Furthermore, Kunsten – Museum of Modern Art Aalborg in collaboration with Gammel Holtegaard held a solo exhibition in 2019, and finally she appeared at Louisiana in the summer of 2020 in distinguished company alongside names such as Frida Kahlo and Meret Oppenheim under the title “Fantastic Women”.

This lot is subject to Artist's Royalty.
Condition

In need of a light surface cleaning. Crackles. Peelings. A few retouches.

Additional Remarks

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.

Auction

Modern art and design, 4 April 2023

Category
Estimate

6,000–8,000 DKK

Sold

Price realised

10,500 DKK  

17 bids

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