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  • The Father of Danish Painting

    This month’s BiteSize art info from a Danish artist

    The Father of Danish Painting

    Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg 1783—1853

    By Jeanette Christjansen

    Reclining Female Nude
    Reclining Female Nude (French model)  Oil on canvas 11x10in. Around 1811? Statens Museum for Kunst. Copenhagen

    The Danish Golden Age of painting began with Eckersberg who rejected the idealizing art of the 18th century and introduced a realism based on studies from nature.

    A pupil at the Royal Academy of fine arts in Copenhagen, Eckersberg went to Paris to study and this painting “Reclining Female Nude” bears witness to the thoroughness with which Eckersberg’s powers of observation were trained in Paris.

    Eckersberg remained in Paris from 1809-1813. He studied for a year under the guidance of Jacques-Louis-David the pioneer of the Neo classical tradition. And he continued to Rome from 1813-1816 where he reached full maturity as an artist.

    Woman Standing in Front of a Mirror
    Woman standing in front of a Mirror, 1837? Oil on canvas  13 x10in. Den Hirschsprungske Samling  Copenhagen.

    He was dubbed “ The father of Danish painting and went on to influenced a generation of painters during the 1820 and 1830 until 1840. Painters like Wilhelm Marstrand 1810 – 1873 and  Christian Købke 1810 – 1848. Are among the painters Eckersberg influenced. His honest and naturalistic approach to achieving beautiful skin tones and flesh tones show his love for people.

    Eckersberg’s Woman standing in front of a Mirror, is one of the most memorable and iconic painting in Danish painting history. Towards the end of his life, young Danish modernists thought he was too old fashion. After two centuries, Eckersberg continue to influence artists from all walks of life. Statens Museum for Kunst. Copenhagen house most of Eckersberg’s masterpieces

    Contributor’s info:

    Jeanette Christjansen (Danish)
    https://www.facebook.com/jeanette.casablancas
    Official website: www.JeanetteChristjansen.com
    Studio: monstudio@earthlink.net

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    Disclaimer: The written submissions to the Skin Tone Project are intended to share spontaneous thoughts and opinions on the depiction of skin tones in works of art. They are intended to be similar to a journal entry: they are not intended to be research papers or in any particular format, but rather are meant to reflect one person’s reaction to the representation of skin tones in a work of art. The submissions are written by art students, working artists and those interested in the history of art, and may include inaccuracies of all kinds. They do not reflect the opinions of anyone other than the writers, and they generally are not edited, corrected or censored by the Skin Tone Project, although it retains the right to do so. Together we hope to work toward a broader understanding of the subject.