Anna Ancher (August 18, 1859 – April
15, 1935)
was a Danish painter. Anna Ancher is considered one of Denmark’s great pictorial artists. She along with her contemporaries oversaw a shift in the artistic landscape of Denmark. They brought about a more realistic approach as compared to the previous generations. She was the face of the women in a group that was pre-dominantly male. In fact, some say that she was the sole female in the group. As a painter, she was a pioneer among women who were tied down by the traditional constrains of marriage. She was also a pioneer in realistic art involving the interplay of colors in natural light. Ancher went against conventions and social constrains when she pursued her artistic career even after her marriage, no easy task taking in to account that she lived in a period when women, especially those who were married stayed at home and took care of household chores.
was a Danish painter. Anna Ancher is considered one of Denmark’s great pictorial artists. She along with her contemporaries oversaw a shift in the artistic landscape of Denmark. They brought about a more realistic approach as compared to the previous generations. She was the face of the women in a group that was pre-dominantly male. In fact, some say that she was the sole female in the group. As a painter, she was a pioneer among women who were tied down by the traditional constrains of marriage. She was also a pioneer in realistic art involving the interplay of colors in natural light. Ancher went against conventions and social constrains when she pursued her artistic career even after her marriage, no easy task taking in to account that she lived in a period when women, especially those who were married stayed at home and took care of household chores.
Anna Ancher Childhood And Early Life
Anna Ancher was born as Anna Kristine Brondum in Skagen, Denmark to
Erik Andersen Brondum and Ane Hedvig Moller. Her father owned the
Brondums hotel in Skagen. Skagen’s location as the northernmost point of
Denmark meant that many artists chose to settle there for its
picturesque surroundings. Anna was therefore exposed to the artistic
atmosphere at a relatively early age, which helped shape her artistic
perspective and before long, it became obvious that she possessed
considerable artistic talents.
Her education in drawing consisted of three years at the
VilhelmKyhn College of Painting in Copenhagen and at the workshop of
artist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes in Paris. During the course of
education she developed a style of her own. She was also one of the
first to observe the interplay of different colors in natural light.
Personal And Professional Life
Anna’s personal and professional life almost went hand in hand
because of her marriage to Michael Ancher, a fellow painter whom she met
in Skagen. The couple settled in Skagen and became part of the Skagen
Painters, a group who were dedicated to capturing the natural beauty and
life of this fishing town. Anna Ancher, as with most other painters of
the group painted the lives of the people of Skagen. She was indeed one
of the most accomplished of the painters and left behind a lasting
legacy for more reasons than one.
Legacy
Anna, although an accomplished painter, will be more remembered as
the chronicler of the womenfolk of Skagen. Anna, being the only woman
painter of the group depicted the world of Skagen women like no other
artist. While most of the male artists tended to draw the outdoor beauty
of Skagen, mostly fishermen in various chores, Anna set most of her
paintings within four walls. The simple paintings would have a Skagen
woman in the house doing small chores like knitting or reading. Another
distinction in Anna’s paintings was that she was the only Skagen
painters who drew paintings depicting religious symbols. The fact that
she was the only one among the Skagen painters originallyfrom Skagen
lent her pictures a perspective that was different from that of the
others. Her works include ‘Blue Ane’, ‘The Girl in the Kitchen’, and
‘Grief’ among others. Her works, along with those of other Skagen
artists are now featured at the Saxlid, the Ancher family home in Skagen
which they purchased in 1884.
Honors And Achievements
Anna Ancher’s place as one of the great Danish artists of all time
is guaranteed. In recognition of her contribution to her chosen field,
she was awarded the ‘Ingenio et Arti’ medal in 1913. This was followed
by the ‘Tagea Brandt Rejselegat’, a travel scholarship in 1924. Her
works are also representatives of Danish art in foreign lands.
Probably, the greatest recognition of her contributions came in
2004, long after her death when she along with husband Michael was
featured on the front of Danish Thousand Kroner Bill.
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Michael and Anna Ancher House - Wikipedia
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