J.F. Willumsen 150 years

On 7 September, it is the 150th anniversary of J. F. Willumsen’s (1863-1958) birth. Willumsen was quite the multi-artist, working as a painter, graphic artist, photographer, ceramicist, sculptor and architect. Most of his adult life was spent in France, where he became conversant with symbolism. He is particularly well-known for his masterpiece “Det store relief” (The great relief) from 1893-1928, which has been included in the Danish Culture Canon. As early as the 1930s, he worked on creating his own museum in Denmark. He succeeded in 1957 – the year before his death – when the J.F. Willumsen Museum was inaugurated in Frederikssund.

Sell at international auction

In September, we’ll be putting the spotlight on Willumsen’s artistic work at the international auction at Bredgade, Copenhagen. His works are highly sought after on the international auction market, and we expect a great deal of interest in connection with our celebration of the Danish pioneer. If you are considering selling works by Willumsen at auction, please pay us a visit. We are on hand on weekdays and Saturdays to provide free, no-obligation valuations at our departments at Sundkrogsgade 30 in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn and Søren Frichs Vej 34 D in Aarhus. See opening times here

Works already consigned

Listed below are a few of the highlights already consigned to this autumn’s international auction:

• J.F. Willumsen: “Michelle Bourret vander kaal og grøntsager” (Michelle Bourret watering cabbages and vegetables), Cannes. Signed J. F. Willumsen 1943. Oil on canvas. 165 x 125 cm. Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the artist’s daughter in 1961, and not exhibited or offered for sale since. Estimate: DKK 300,000-400,000.

• J.F. Willumsen: "Kastanietræer ved en Bjærgsø" (Chestnut trees by a mountain lake), Geneva. Signed J.F.W. 1931; signed on a label on the reverse and annotated Inventarie No. 50. Oil on canvas. 74 x 92 cm. Provenance: The artist's daughter, Anse Willumsen. Hence by descent in the family and not previously offered for sale. Exhibited: Udstilling af kunst, Ollerup 1935. Estimate: DKK 300,000.

• J.F. Willumsen: “Santa Margarita”. Signed J. F. W. 1950. Oil on canvas. 71 x 78 cm. Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the artist’s daughter in 1961, and not exhibited or offered for sale since. Estimate: DKK 30,000-40,000.