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52
Vilhelm Hammershøi
b. Copenhagen 1864, d. s. p. 1916
"Stue. Tilhøjre op mod den gullig-hvide Bagvæg, et gult Chatol paa
høje Ben. Derover et firkantet Spejl i Mahogni-Ramme. Tilhøjre en
hvid Dør med Messing-Beslag. I forgrunden, tilvenstre for Billedets
Midte, en ung sortklædt Kvinde med Ryggen mod Beskueren".
Room. On the right against the yellowish-white back wall a yellow
bureau on tall legs. Above the bureau a square mirror in a mahogany
frame. On the right a white door with brass furniture. In the foreground
left of centre a young woman dressed in black with her back
turned against the beholder. 1893. Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 40 x 37 cm.
Sophus Michaëlis and Alfred Bramsen, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of
Vilhelm Hammershøi no. 135. Yet (cf. the text above) described partly reverse.
Exhibited: De Frie Studieskoler (Independent Study Schools) in Charlottenborg,
Copenhagen, 1896. A photo of the painting hanging in that exhibition can be
seen in the exhibition catalogue at the Royal Academy of Arts, 2008, p. 163.
Exhibited: Kunstforeningen, "Arbejder af Vilhelm Hammershøi", 1916 no. 111.
Provenance: Bought by Kunstforeningen 1894. Later in the collection of
Alfred Bramsen. Bramsen was a very dear friend and the painter's patron.
In an interview given to the magazine "Hjemmet" (Home) in 1909 Hammershøi
states: "If people would only recognize that a few good pieces of furniture in a
room gives a far more beautiful and fine look than do many mediocre things".
And further: "And if you could just get rid of all the "rubbish" - what a gain
it would be for the look of the homes!". (Paul Vad, "Hammershøi", 1988, p.
402-403). This "matter of fact" statement does not at first reveal any deep metaphysical
reflections concerning the interior decoration of Hammershøi's
home. However the "naked" unostentatiousness is essential in the fascination
that Hammershøi's art arouses. Time has stopped and the moment seems frozen
as when you go off into a trance.
Hammershøi has been internationally famous for a long time. Recently the British
Comedian, Actor and Globetrotter Michael Palin has sought the key to understanding
Hammershøi's art. ("Michael Palin and the Mystery of
Hammershøi", BBC 2005). Along with so many others Palin is fascinated
with the "mysterious" silence in Hammershøi's paintings.
DKK 2.500.000-3.000.000 / € 335.000-402.000
76 BRUUN RASMUSSEN TRÉSOR