ABOUT ANNE ANCHER
Anna Ancher was a renowned Danish painter who ranked amongst the leading pictorial artists of Denmark. Her work is said to have influenced a more realistic approach to art and in the artistic societies of Denmark. Amongst the male dominant art circles of Denmark, Anna Ancher was the first female artist to carve out for herself a status of recognition and critical acclaim. Her interesting and creative use of natural hues and colors made her work extremely popular and well-received, and despite the traditions and conventions of Danish society that were hell bent on tying her down, Anna did not even let the institution of marriage or any other social constraints tie her down and deviate her from pursuing her artistic career.
Anna Kristine Brondum was born on August 18, 1859, in Skagen, Denmark. Her father, Erik Andersen, was the owner of the Brondums Hotel in Skagen, while her mother, Ane Hedvig Moller, was a housewife. Skagen is located in the northern area of Denmark, and hence, it has always been a popular tourist attraction for its breath-taking and picturesquely scene beauty. Growing up in this beautiful valley, Anna’s artistic perceptions and aesthetics were considerably influenced by the natural beauty in her picturesque surroundings, and she began to show remarkable talent from a very early age.
Anna studied at the VilhelmKyhn College of Painting, in Copenhagen, for three years and it was here that she received her training in drawing. Later, she continued her education and training in Paris, at the workshop of renowned artist, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. Soon, her interests and imaginations were captivated with the interplay of colours and hues in natural light, and she began to develop a unique and distinctive style that set her apart from other artists.
Anna decided to tie the knot with Michael Ancher, a painter, and the couple continued to live in Skagen where they became pioneering members of the Skagen Painters, a group of artists devoted to capturing the scenic and picturesque beauty of their lovely fishing town onto the canvas. Anna was more interested in the everyday lives and chores of the people of Skagen, and these people became the subjects of countless of her paintings. Anna’s paintings are acclaimed for their simplicity and their fine attention to detail.
Even though her portraits and landscapes have also garnered considerable praise and critical acclaim, she is popularly and widely hailed as the chronicler of the women of Skagen. Being a woman herself, she was able to empathise with the emotions and feelings of her female subjects, and thus, she gave each portrait and depiction a unique and distinguished touch. While most great artists focused on the natural beauty of the fishing town of Skagen or the lives of its fishermen, Anna’s paintings were mostly set in domestic settings, depicting woman doing routine housework and domestic chores like knitting or reading. Her works include ‘The Girl in the Kitchen’, ‘Blue Ane’ and ‘Grief’ among many others.
Anna Ancher is regarded as a legendary and inspiring artist in Danish art as well as among other European art circles, and her work has been awarded by numerous awards and accolades including the ‘Ingenio et Arti’ in 1913.
WHAT I WISH FOR YOU TODAY
Simplicity.