London Calling

A Cosmopolitan Career Within the Art World

Anna Grundberg joined Bruun Rasmussen in the spring of 2018. Prior to this, she has worked with some of the major names within the art world: “Fresh out of the Courtauld, I first explored a number of internships to work out which section of the art world appealed to me the most: Christie's in London, the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and the Guggenheim Museum in Venice. These experiences led to a job with one of the leading London art dealers, Simon Dickinson, where I worked for a period before eventually setting up my own business as an independent art consultant.

When it comes to the commercial art business, I base my advice on research, transparency, efficiency and results. At least these are my main aspirations! The commercial art world has become large and complex, so I try, where possible, to work through the options for clients in as clear and logical a manner as possible so that they can make informed decisions.”

Bruun Rasmussen’s Contact in London

Based on this background, it is easy to understand why Anna Grundberg is a great fit for our activities in London: ”My principal task is to help find consignments of works of art in the U.K. which are suitable for auction in Denmark. This can, of course, cover everything from furniture, porcelain and jewellery to paintings and drawings. I am also here to help with general enquiries from clients concerning acquisitions, shipping logistics and valuations.

It has been great to work with the wonderfully efficient team in Copenhagen, and it was particularly exciting that so many fabulous pieces were shown at the Danish Embassy in London this spring since it provided our guests with a good sense of the breadth of expertise at Bruun Rasmussen. Obviously, one of the especially interesting features of the recent auctions was the superb Wolff collection of drawings, which brought in a lot of interested collectors and institutions.”

A Penchant for Historic Art 

 “I'm a great fan of Nordic paintings, drawings and sculptures from the turn of the nineteenth century – particularly light-infused landscapes. Seventeenth-century Dutch still-life paintings also fascinate me. They are often exquisitely painted and full of glorious details such as insects, flowers and leaves – tempered by the thought-provoking memento mori theme underlying all that beauty. 

While we have just had a great sale, including a breakfast piece by Peter Claesz, the area of Old Masters deserves even more attention from buyers. I think that the tide is already turning, but it is still possible to find the most amazing paintings that are over 200 years old or even older. For me, it’s as close as you can get to time-travelling – holding pieces in your hands and wondering what they have been witness to and whose lives they have once been part of. And, of course, there’s also the world that the artists were part of to consider – why was something commissioned or painted, where was it intended for and how was it appreciated at the time?

But even though I have worked a lot with Old Master paintings, I also enjoy the work of more modern artists and designers who pare down their subjects to simple, often intense, forms such as Gunther Förg, Le Corbusier and Finn Juhl. So, in my work for Bruun Rasmussen I very much look forward to working with the different expressions of historic art and excellent Danish design.”

Always Keep an Eye Out

“What’s most important when representing a company such as Bruun Rasmussen, which deals with such a diversity in art, antiques and deisgn, is keeping an open mind and a keen eye on the details. Whilst carrying out an insurance valuation for a large mixed collection in London, I remember looking at a small enamelled box and wondering whether it was just a pretty decorative item, but then something in me realised that the quality was rather good, and there was a stamp which looked rather important. On seeking expert advice, my suspicions were confirmed, and it turned out to be a work of Fabergé!”

Next up for Anna and Bruun Rasmussen are two auction preview exhibitions in London this coming November in connection with the Asian and Russian Art Weeks on 3-5 November and 24-27 November, respectively.