P. C. Skovgaard (b. Ringsted 1817, d. Copenhagen 1875)
Purchased by Fuglsang Artmuseum in November 2008.
View of the Cliffs of Møn. Signed and dated P. C. Skovgaard (in one word) 1852. Oil on canvas. 126×190 cm.
Not many Danish painters had the ability, like P. C. Skovgaard, to paint the magnificent and dramatic Danish nature. A very good example of this can been seen in the present painting from the Cliffs of Møn. P. C. Skovgaard was very fascinated by the nature of Møn and he often returned to this specific place with the vertical white cliffs, and from there he painted a number of sketches as well as minor and larger paintings as this one. In 2007 a storm unfortunately damaged the cliffs so this specific view is no longer to be seen. P. C. Skovgaard visited Møn for the first time in 1842. The Art Historian N. L. Høyen and P. C. Skovgaard had a long correspondence about the Cliffs of Møn. Høyen described the area with enthusiasm and told Skovgaard that many picturesque motifs were to be found here. He compared the cliffs with the marble palaces painted by Paulo Veronese. Høyen accentuated the special light appearing in the sea and the sky, and mentioned that the light here, more than anywhere else in Denmark, reminded him of the light in Southern Europe. Høyen's recommendations prompted P. C. Skovgaard to experience the landscape himself and he was overwhelmed. It was not an easy task to paint the enormous cliffs and integrate them into the surroundings - the sky, sea and beach. For a long time Skovgaard was unsure of how to paint the cliffs until one day, while walking on the beach, it suddenly occured to him from where and how to paint them. He decided to paint them seen from the beach, by doing this the cliffs became even more impressive and by a clever use of sunlight and shadow in the painting he gave the cliffs more facets. A smaller painting with a similar subject can be seen in Fuglsang Kunstmuseum, Lolland. Two other well-known Golden Age painters, C. W. Eckersberg (lot 7) and I. C. Dahl (lot 6), are represented in this sale with views of the Cliffs of Møn.
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.
Trésor - Anniversary auction, 18 November 2008