Harald Leth
Encyclopedia
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
.
's painting school (1921–1923). He was also taught by Olaf Rude
(1923–1924) and for a short time by P. Rostrup Boyesen. He exhibited at the Charlottenborg
autumn exhibition in 1923. He was a member of Høstudstillingen (1934–1944), Koloristerne (1946–1950) and Martsudstillingen (1951–1982).
in the 1920s, Leth became acquainted with Oluf Høst and was later influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
and by Johan Lundbye
and Theodor Philipsen
, developing his own intensively Naturalistic style. He mainly painted landscapes, animals, still lifes and interiors, often in small formats. From 1944, when he moved to Asminderød Mark in the north of Zealand, he painted in an increasingly Colouristic style
. Many of his paintings can be seen in the Statens Museum for Kunst
and at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
.
in 1958, the Thorvaldsen Medal
in 1966 and the Prince Eugen Medal
in 1983.
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...
painter whose Naturalistic work was inspired by Johannes Larsen
Johannes 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...
of the Funen Painters
Funen Painters
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...
and Oluf Høst
Oluf Høst
Oluf Høst was the only member of the Bornholm school of painters who was a real Bornholmer. Although he had studied in Copenhagen, he returned to the Danish island of Bornholm in 1929 where he remained with his family until he died. Bognemark, the little farmhouse near Gudhjem was one of Høst's...
of the Bornholm School
Bornholm school of painters
The Bornholm school of painters started to take shape towards the beginning of the 20th century on the Danish island of Bornholm when a number of artists developed a distinctive style of classic modernism, inspired by the island's unique landscapes and light...
.
Biography
After first studying medicine, Leth spent a few month with Johannes Larsen at Kerteminde in 1921 before attending Harald GiersingHarald Giersing
Harald Giersing , a Danish painter, was instrumental in developing the classic modernism movement in Denmark around 1910-1920...
's painting school (1921–1923). He was also taught by 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...
(1923–1924) and for a short time by P. Rostrup Boyesen. He exhibited at the Charlottenborg
Charlottenborg Palace
Charlottenborg Palace is a large town mansion located on the corner of Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally built as a residence for Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve, it has served as the base of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts since its foundation in 1754...
autumn exhibition in 1923. He was a member of Høstudstillingen (1934–1944), Koloristerne (1946–1950) and Martsudstillingen (1951–1982).
Artwork
During his summers on the island of BornholmBornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
in the 1920s, Leth became acquainted with Oluf Høst and was later influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot was a French landscape painter and printmaker in etching. Corot was the leading painter of the Barbizon school of France in the mid-nineteenth century...
and by Johan Lundbye
Johan Lundbye
Johan Thomas Lundbye was a promising young Danish painter and graphic artist, known for his animal and landscape paintings who died at the age of 29...
and Theodor Philipsen
Theodor 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...
, developing his own intensively Naturalistic style. He mainly painted landscapes, animals, still lifes and interiors, often in small formats. From 1944, when he moved to Asminderød Mark in the north of Zealand, he painted in an increasingly Colouristic style
Colourist painting
Colourist painting is characterised by the use of intense colour, which becomes the dominant feature of the resultant work of art, more important than its other qualities. This tendency in painting was foreshadowed by French Impressionism in the late 19th century, and came to prominence in the work...
. Many of his paintings can be seen in the Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
and at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is an art museum located directly on the shore of the Øresund Sound in Humlebæk, north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the most visited art museum in Denmark with an extensive permanent collection of modern and contemporary art, dating from World War II and up...
.
Awards
Leth was awarded the Eckersberg MedalEckersberg Medal
The Eckersberg Medal is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts...
in 1958, the Thorvaldsen Medal
Thorvaldsen Medal
The Thorvaldsen Medal is awarded annually with few exceptions to a varying number of recipients by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and is its highest destinction within the visual arts...
in 1966 and the Prince Eugen Medal
Prince Eugen Medal
The Prince Eugen Medal , is a medal conferred by the King of Sweden for "outstanding artistic achievement". The medal was established in 1945 by the then King of Sweden, Gustaf V in 1945, in connection with the eightieth birthday of his brother Prince Eugen who was a noted painter and art...
in 1983.
Selected works
The following works are in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst:- Vignet (1922)
- Græssende ko (1924)
- Fjorden ved Lemvig (1926)
- Græssende ko ved havet. Gudhjem (1928)
- Siddende nøgen model (1933)
- Ved Gudhjem. Marine med fartøjer (1935)
- Lillehammer. Februar. Tømmerslæder (1937)
- Bondeslagtning (1939)
- Liggende kalv i stald (1939)
- Hoved af en bondekone, mellem en kat, en kalv og en hane (1944)
- Landskab med mennesker og dyr (1945)
- Mand med heste. Solnedgang. Asminderød mark (1948)
- Nøgne træer. Grå forårsdag (1952)
- Solnedgang. Vinter (1953)
- Snelandskab i solskin (1954)
- Opstilling med røde tulipaner (ca 1960)
- Løven og Jupiter i opgang (1962)
- Fad med røde æbler (1967)
- Opstilling med kande, æbler og flaske (1968)
- Solnedgang sent på året (1968)
- Badende kvinder (1968)
- Køretøj i vinterskoven (1970-1979)
- Landskab ved kysten med liggende badepige (1975)