Vilhelm Hammersh

Allan Rahbek · 05-28-2004, 07:52 PM

I would be surprised if anyone know this outstanding danish painter.

His palette was limited to four shades of gray. He always mixed his blackish, brownish, greenish and violet grays the same place on the palette, so that the paint had formed "oyster shells".

He took great care in composing and treated the same motive several times. Most of his paintings were interiors, with a single person, from his own home.

This portrait represent his sister Anna, 112 x 91 CM, painted in 1885.

Allan

Garth Herrick · 05-28-2004, 09:04 PM

Well Allan,

You are going to have to be surprised because there was a comprehensive exhibition of Hammershoi (I don't know how to get that special Danish vowel off my keyboard) in 1983 at the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C. 73 of his paintings and drawings were exhibited, and I was so moved that I bought the catalog and annotated it as I moved though the exhibition, piece by piece.

To fully appreciate Vilhelm Hammersh

Garth Herrick · 05-28-2004, 10:06 PM

Here is a scan from a favorite image in the catalog:

"Young Woman Sewing" The artist's sister Anna Hammersh

Allan Rahbek · 05-29-2004, 08:54 AM

[QUOTE=Garth Herrick]Well Allan,

You are going to be surprised.

Hi Garth,

I am, but after all I am not surprised that you were the one to....and how did you find the

Steven Sweeney · 05-29-2004, 10:10 AM

You gentlemen played on one of my weaknesses. After reading this thread late last evening, I went on a pearl dive and found a "very good" condition, first edition of this book, which is now on its way to me from a rare-book dealer in Santa Barbara, CA.

I'm an hour away from an overseas flight, but I'll be looking forward to having this book in my mail upon return.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Garth Herrick · 05-29-2004, 10:24 AM

Steven,

Congratulations on the catalog aquisition! If you wish I will pass on to you in an email all the pencil annotations and comments I put in my copy, as I compared each plate to the actual work in the exhibition. I was mostly commenting about where the printing was off target, so that I could better visualize and remember Hammersh