Vilhelm Hammershoi

[alexandral]

Vilhelm Hammershoi (15.05.1864 – 13.02.1916) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark.

His art sometimes is called "dispassionate" and "purist" but this is strangely at odds with my own impression from it. I would have called his art to be "moody" and "atmospheric" but at the same time it is full of light. It gives me a feeling of disquiet. I often find myself staring at his works as if I stare long enough I find a secret of each painting. Hammershoi almost always painted his models from behind as if to hide the expressions on their faces and he often painted shadows. His most famous model was his wife Ida and though I seem numerous paintings of her I still feel that I don't really know how her face looks like. Was she pretty? Melancholic? It seems that she was..

Few of my favourite paintings of Vilhelm Hammershoi:

A Lady reading in an interior:



A room with a piano and woman in black:



A woman reading by a window (My favourite painting of his – I wish I knew what this lady is reading!)



A woman sewing in an interior:



Bedroom:


Interior with a girl at the clavier:



Interior with a woman reading a letter:



Interior with back view of young woman:



London Street:



Rest



White Open Doors



Light:



I made some icons from his paintings. They are free to share. Preview:

.. .. .. ..



01. 02. 03. 04.

05. 06. 07. 08.

09. 10. 11. 12.

13. 14. 15. 16.

Comments

[maystone.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for posting these. I've never seen Hammershoi's work before, but I intend to seek out more or it. I love this style of painting, and I'm frustrated that I don't have the artists' vocabulary to articulate what it is about it that affects me so strongly. The palette, certainly. The choice of subject, definitely. Windows, light, doorways, interiors hinted at but not fully shown. Some of Andrew Wyeth's paintings have the same feel as these.

The word that came first to mind was "introspection." There's a privacy about these paintings and a stillness. Even the street scene is static. I just think that they're stunning in their simple beauty. Although I have to say that the one with the open white doors is somewhat unsettling. I'm not sure why, but I suppose that's part of its genius.

Anyway, sorry to prattle on :) I'm scurrying away with 12 and 13, thank you.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

The word that came first to mind was "introspection." There's a privacy about these paintings and a stillness. Even the street scene is static. I just think that they're stunning in their simple beauty. Although I have to say that the one with the open white doors is somewhat unsettling. I'm not sure why, but I suppose that's part of its genius.

Oh, thank you so much for posting your thoughts – you expressed everything so beautifully that there is nothing to add.. I love your icon – is this from Andrew Wyeth's paintings? I am so sorry if I am mistaken, he is new to me..

[maystone.livejournal.com]

My icon is by an artist named John Caple. I love his work because it's rather moody. If you'd like to see some of Wyeth's paintings, here's one link (http://www.andrew-wyeth-prints.com/index.html) to start you off with :)

(This icon is also by Caple.)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I 'll try to find both John Caple and Wyeth.. This is like a new world is opening to me!