Vilhelm Hammershøi occupies a central position in Denmark’s transition to modernism in art. Through his paintings, he managed a remarkable paradox, paying respectful tribute to his historical sources while at the same time undermining them in an insightful and modern way.

While they recall the meticulous elegance of the Dutch and Danish Golden Ages, Hammershøi’s works also signal the end of these traditions and the emergence of a new paradigm of artistic representation.

About Dr. Thor J. Mednick

Dr. Thor J. Mednick, former Fellow of the ASF and the Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. Foundation, is Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Toledo. A recognized scholar of 19th century art and an expert on turn-of-the-century art in Denmark, he has published on Peder Severin Krøyer and the artists’ colony in Skagen, Denmark, and is currently preparing a publication on the work of Vilhelm Hammershøi.

Exhibition-related educational programs have been supported in part by a grant from the Robert Lehman Foundation.

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Photo by the American-Scandinavian Foundation

TUE – 11-5-2013 – 6:30 pm
free