Svend Hammershøi

Svend Hammershøi (10 August 1873 – 27 February 1948) was a Danish painter and ceramist. He is remembered principally for the classical pottery designs he contributed to the Royal Copenhagen (Kongelige Porcelainsfabrik) and to Kähler's Ceramics Factory (Kählers Keramiske Værksted) in Næstved.

Biography

Born in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, he was the younger brother of the painter Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864–1916) who was a strong source of influence and inspiration. After a preparatory period at the Copenhagen Technical College, he studied painting at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1890 to 1892, after which he spent a further five years at Kunstnernes Frie Studieskoler, the artists school operated by Kristian Zahrtmann.

He exhibited at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris during 1925 and at Royal Institute of British Architects in London in 1927. Hammershøi also published a biography: Thorvald Bindesbøll in Memoriam, 1846-1946. He died during 1948 in Copenhagen and was buried at Solbjerg Park Cemetery in Frederiksberg.

Legacy While Hammershøi's ceramics have long been appreciated, his paintings have been overshadowed by those of his brother Vilhelm. Recently, however, international interest has grown in his scenes of nature and architecture, generally painted in the open air. His paintings often carry a sombre golden tone, creating a rather mystical impression of trees and buildings.

In 2008, Øregaard Museum in Hellerup (in conjunction with Næstved Museum and Skovgaard Museum) presented an extensive exhibition of Svend Hammershøi's work. Consisting of over a hundred artefacts, it included drawings, paintings, ceramics and silverware.