Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand Holm
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand Holm, often referred to as H.G.F. Holm, (23 April 1803, Berlin - 1 May 1861, Copenhagen) was a Danish
artist and engraver who is remembered for his finely detailed topographical paintings and drawings of Copenhagen
and surroundings.
who insisted on accuracy and detail, qualities which are reflected in his own work. As a result, Holm quickly became a master of his genre, not only as a illustrator but in the difficult technique of watercolour painting. He began to specialize in illustrating prospectuses, often sketching areas and buildings of interest before making multiple copyies at home, often with minor variations. He sometimes produced skeleton drawings which he later coloured with watercolour. His subjects were taken mainly from the streets and squares of Copenhagen, comprising castles and churches, the stock exchange, the university, as well as views of the city from vantage points such as Rundetårn
. In addition, he produced a series of works covering the surrounding countryside, for example the collection Sjællands yndigste Egne (1826-28). Many of his plates appeared in magazines such as Magazin for Ungdommen (1839-40), its successor Cosmorama (1840-43), and Nyt Magazin for Natur og Menneskekundskab (1848). He also illustrated prospectuses for the Royal Procelain Factory, especially in regard to designs for tea and coffee cups. Despite Holm's high rate of productivity, he constantly suffered from lack of money, which frequently drove him to drink. The resulting vicious circle encouraged him to sell his works at low prices which explains how he was given the nickname: Fattigholm or "Poor Holm".
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...
artist and engraver who is remembered for his finely detailed topographical paintings and drawings of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and surroundings.
Biography
Holm initially followed in the footsteps of his father as an engraver and illustrator. He had almost certainly been a pupil of C. J. ThomsenChristian Jürgensen Thomsen
Christian Jürgensen Thomsen was a Danish archaeologist.In 1816 he was appointed head of 'antiquarian' collections which later developed into the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. While organizing and classifying the antiquities for exhibition, he decided to present them chronologically...
who insisted on accuracy and detail, qualities which are reflected in his own work. As a result, Holm quickly became a master of his genre, not only as a illustrator but in the difficult technique of watercolour painting. He began to specialize in illustrating prospectuses, often sketching areas and buildings of interest before making multiple copyies at home, often with minor variations. He sometimes produced skeleton drawings which he later coloured with watercolour. His subjects were taken mainly from the streets and squares of Copenhagen, comprising castles and churches, the stock exchange, the university, as well as views of the city from vantage points such as Rundetårn
Rundetårn
The Rundetårn is a 17th-century tower located in central Copenhagen, Denmark. One of the many architectural projects of Christian IV, it was built as an astronomical observatory...
. In addition, he produced a series of works covering the surrounding countryside, for example the collection Sjællands yndigste Egne (1826-28). Many of his plates appeared in magazines such as Magazin for Ungdommen (1839-40), its successor Cosmorama (1840-43), and Nyt Magazin for Natur og Menneskekundskab (1848). He also illustrated prospectuses for the Royal Procelain Factory, especially in regard to designs for tea and coffee cups. Despite Holm's high rate of productivity, he constantly suffered from lack of money, which frequently drove him to drink. The resulting vicious circle encouraged him to sell his works at low prices which explains how he was given the nickname: Fattigholm or "Poor Holm".