Johannes Larsen

A Danish animal painter and, to a lesser extent, portrait painter and landscape painter. In other areas, he is known for his work in the etching technique, as an illustrator and as a master of wall painting.

The family of Johannes belonged to the artistic environment. His mother was the sister of famous artist Johan. When he was a child, he met artists Hans Schmidt and Theodor Philipsen.

Larsen stood at the origins of the new art of Denmark, preferring to work in the open air. One of the leaders of a significant and influential group, known as “The artists of Fyn Island” in the history of art. Received orders for monumental paintings of the royal Christiansborg Castle (reception hall, the ceiling of the library), frescoes for the celebration halls in the Odense municipality, the capital of Fyn Island. In the house of the artist, built according to his project, there is a state museum.

Key ideas:

– Johannes Larsen gives all his main love to landscape painting – here scenes are mostly with birds, genre scenes from the life of peasants. All this is quite traditional for the northern school of painting.

– Larsen had an incredible ability to not only see and observe, but also to memorize everything in movement and color. Having acquired a truly encyclopedic knowledge of nature, colors, animals and birds, Johannes simultaneously learnt how to use colors boldly and in an innovative way. The paintings demonstrate a mature understanding of the importance of light, harmony in the selection of gamma and soft light and shadows characteristic of such a theme.

– Having chosen the main themes for his work, the artist remained a good portrait painter, choosing small formats for this genre. His palette in portraits is always soft and restrained, he carefully thinks out the composition, the play of light and shadows and the mood.