Suzette Holten

Suzette Catherine Skovgaard-Holten born Suzette Catherine Skovgaard, 29 January 1863 – 11 February 1937) was a Danish painter and ceramist who belonged to the Skovgaard family of artists. In addition to landscapes, flower paintings and portraits, she created and decorated ceramics and also worked as an embroiderer.

Early life and family

Born in Copenhagen on 29 January 1863, Suzette Catherine was the third child of artist P.C. Skovgaard and embroiderer Georgia Maria Luise Schouw (Schouw-Skovgaard). Like her brothers Joakim and Niels, she became a painter. After her mother died when she was only five years old, Suzette was brought up by her father in the affluent Østerbro district of Copenhagen. He took great care of her, introducing her to the works of the Danish Golden Age painters, thanks to his friendships with Lundbye, Marstrand and Constantin Hansen. He was also the first to encourage her to draw. After he died in 1875, she moved into the home of the painter Thorald Læssøe where she continued to have contacts with the artistic community. She became one of the avant-garde artists associated with Kunstnernes Frie Studieskoler which had been established to provide an alternative to the traditional methods of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Teresa Nielsen and Anne-Mette Villumsen published an exhibition catalogue entitled ('Susette Nielsen née Skovgaard – the forgotten sister') in 2013.