Funen Painters
Encyclopedia
The Funen Painters or Fynboerne were a loose group of Danish
artists who formed an art colony on the island of Funen
at the very beginning of the 20th century. They were strongly influenced by Kristian Zahrtmann
who taught at the Artists Studio School
in Copenhagen from 1885 to 1908. Like Zahrtmann, they abandoned the traditions of the Danish Academy and ventured into Naturalism and Realism
.
(1867–1961) from Kerteminde
in the northeastern corner of Funen and Fritz Syberg
and Peter Hansen
, both from the southern port of Faaborg
. Alhed Larsen
, Larsen's wife, Anna Syberg
, Hansen's sister and Syberg's wife, and Christine Larsen
, Larsen's younger sister, all of whom were artists, were also deeply associated with the group although they did not receive the same level of recognition as the men. Christine married Sigurd Swane
who also moved to Kerteminde to establish their family home.
Møllebakken, also near Kerteminde, became the home of Johannes and Alhed Larsen and soon developed into a meeting place for the Funen Artists at the beginning of the 20th century. They were joined by Harald Giersing
, who married Syberg's sister Besse, and other young artists including Olaf Rude
, Harald Leth
and Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen
who came to Møllebakken for inspiration.
Another artist associated with the group was Poul S. Christiansen who came from the north of Funen and became a close friend of Zahrtmann after he joined his school in 1885. It was there that he met Johannes Larsen.
As a result of their paintings of everyday country life, the Funen Painters were sometimes disparagingly called bondemalerne or the peasant painters. In 1907, there was a heated debate in the Danish press between Gudmund Hentze and Harald Slott-Møller and his wife, who stood up for the more intellectually oriented cultural movement in Copenhagen, and Peter Hansen who defended the Funen Painters together with Jens Birkholm, Poul S. Christiansen and Karl Schou.
whose approach to outdoor painting and use of light and shade was often reflected in their work. As in Philipsen's artwork, the influence of Paul Gauguin
and Impressionism
can also be seen in their paintings. Zahrtmann had however encouraged the artisits to develop their own style although all three emulated his use of strong colour. Indeed, Johannes Larsen refused to be identified with a so-called "Funen School", preferring to ascribe their relationship to a common background and their close friendship.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
artists who formed an art colony on the island of Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
at the very beginning of the 20th century. They were strongly influenced by Kristian Zahrtmann
Kristian Zahrtmann
Peder Henrik Kristian Zahrtmann, known as Kristian Zahrtmann, was a Danish painter. He was a part of the Danish artistic generation in the late 19th century, along with Peder Severin Krøyer and Theodor Esbern Philipsen, who broke away from both the strictures of traditional Academicism and the...
who taught at the Artists Studio School
Kunstnernes Frie Studieskoler
Kunstnernes Frie Studieskoler was a Danish art school established in Copenhagen in 1882 as a protest against the policies of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and to provide an alternative to its educational program...
in Copenhagen from 1885 to 1908. Like Zahrtmann, they abandoned the traditions of the Danish Academy and ventured into Naturalism and Realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
.
History
The close-knit core members of the group were Johannes LarsenJohannes Larsen
Johannes Larsen was a Danish nature painter.-Biography:Born in Kerteminde on Funen, Larsen studied art at the Free School in Copenhagen under Kristian Zahrtmann in the 1880s. There he met other painters from Funen, notably Fritz Syberg and Peter Hansen, both from the southern port of Faaborg, and...
(1867–1961) from Kerteminde
Kerteminde
Kerteminde , is a town in central Denmark, located in Kerteminde Municipality on the island of Funen. The town has a population of 5,698 . It is a small harbor town surrounded by farms...
in the northeastern corner of Funen and Fritz Syberg
Fritz Syberg
Christian Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Syberg, generally known as Fritz Syberg, was a Danish painter and illustrator, one of the reactionary Fynboerne or "Funen Painters" group living and working on the island of Funen.-Biography:Syberg, from a poor background in Fåborg, first served a house...
and Peter Hansen
Peter Hansen (painter)
Peter Marius Hansen was a Danish painter who became one of the Fynboerne or "Funen Painters" group living and working on the island of Funen.-Biography:...
, both from the southern port of Faaborg
Faaborg
Faaborg or Fåborg is a Danish town with a population of 7,178 , located in Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality on the island of Funen. It was formerly the seat of Faaborg municipality. The seat of the new municipality is Ringe...
. Alhed Larsen
Alhed Larsen
Alhed Maria Larsen née Warberg , the wife of Johannes Larsen, was one of the Fynboerne or "Funen Artists" who lived and worked on the Danish island of Funen.-Biography:...
, Larsen's wife, Anna Syberg
Anna Syberg
Anna Louise Birgitte Syberg was a Danish painter who, together with her husband Fritz Syberg, was one of the Fynboerne or "Funen Artists" who lived and worked on the island of Funen...
, Hansen's sister and Syberg's wife, and Christine Larsen
Christine Swane
Christine Swane née Christine Larsen was a Danish painter who first associated with the Funen Painters before developing her own increasingly Cubist style.-Biography:...
, Larsen's younger sister, all of whom were artists, were also deeply associated with the group although they did not receive the same level of recognition as the men. Christine married Sigurd Swane
Sigurd Swane
Sigurd Swane was a Danish painter and writer. He studied in Copenhagen at the Royal Danish Academy of Art....
who also moved to Kerteminde to establish their family home.
Møllebakken, also near Kerteminde, became the home of Johannes and Alhed Larsen and soon developed into a meeting place for the Funen Artists at the beginning of the 20th century. They were joined by Harald Giersing
Harald Giersing
Harald Giersing , a Danish painter, was instrumental in developing the classic modernism movement in Denmark around 1910-1920...
, who married Syberg's sister Besse, and other young artists including Olaf Rude
Olaf Rude
Olaf Rude was a Danish painter who was born in Estonia. As a child, he moved with his family to Frejlev on the island of Lolland. He is remembered in particular for his paintings of oak trees at Skejten on Lolland, two of which can be seen at Christiansborg.In 1905, he studied at the Copenhagen...
, Harald Leth
Harald Leth
Harald Leth was a Danish painter whose Naturalistic work was inspired by Johannes Larsen of the Funen Painters and Oluf Høst of the Bornholm School.-Biography:...
and Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen
Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen
Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen was a Danish painter who is remembered for his old Nordic landscapes, his church decorations and his woodcuts.-Early life and education:...
who came to Møllebakken for inspiration.
Another artist associated with the group was Poul S. Christiansen who came from the north of Funen and became a close friend of Zahrtmann after he joined his school in 1885. It was there that he met Johannes Larsen.
As a result of their paintings of everyday country life, the Funen Painters were sometimes disparagingly called bondemalerne or the peasant painters. In 1907, there was a heated debate in the Danish press between Gudmund Hentze and Harald Slott-Møller and his wife, who stood up for the more intellectually oriented cultural movement in Copenhagen, and Peter Hansen who defended the Funen Painters together with Jens Birkholm, Poul S. Christiansen and Karl Schou.
Similarities and differences
The three main artists among the Funen Painters had much in common. They had all studied under Kristian Zahrtmann and were later all strongly influenced by Theodor PhilipsenTheodor Philipsen
Theodor Philipsen was a Danish painter.Philipsen has been considered an innovator of 19th century Danish art. He took Danish art into a new level of impressionism and naturalism. He was influenced by French art, this influence beginning in his first time in Paris from 1874–1876...
whose approach to outdoor painting and use of light and shade was often reflected in their work. As in Philipsen's artwork, the influence of Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
and Impressionism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
can also be seen in their paintings. Zahrtmann had however encouraged the artisits to develop their own style although all three emulated his use of strong colour. Indeed, Johannes Larsen refused to be identified with a so-called "Funen School", preferring to ascribe their relationship to a common background and their close friendship.
Museums
- The Johannes Larsen Museum on Møllebakken near Kerteminde is the former home of the artist and his wife Alhed. Many of their own paintings as well as those of the other Funen Painters including Fritz Syberg, Peter Hansen and Christine SwaneChristine SwaneChristine Swane née Christine Larsen was a Danish painter who first associated with the Funen Painters before developing her own increasingly Cubist style.-Biography:...
can be seen there in surroundings which have been little altered since the colony met there at the beginning of the 20th century.
- The Faaborg Museum in the harbour town of Faaborg on Funen's southern coast is also closely associated with the Funen Painters, especially Fritz Syberg and Peter Hansen who grew up in the town. The museum puts on special exhibitions of the Funen Painters' works.