Ancher and Fischer – off the wall!

Anna Ancher

In her early youth, Skagen artist Anna Ancher (1859-1935) displayed a strong and distinctive artistic talent further developed by several mentors including her teacher and later husband, Michael Ancher. The unaffected rendering of reality came naturally to Anna Ancher, and she actively contributed to the modern breakthrough together with the other Danish and Scandinavian artists who spent time working in Skagen. Anna Ancher took her inspiration from personal, visual experiences, primarily expressed through the use of light. As a colourist she was also always concerned with the multiplicity of colour, and employed a pink, green and grey palette that was considered daring at the time. Her special artistic abilities, emotive choice of subject, colours and light can all be experienced in the painting at auction, ”A young woman playing guitar in front of a piano”.. Here Anna Ancher accentuates the light as it falls upon the young woman’s upswept hair and shoulders, which are set off against the dark piano and the pink flowers in contrast with the grey-green wall.  

Paul Fischer

Paul Fischer (1860-1934) began his painting career early, but did not complete his education at the Academy of Fine Arts. But he had a flair for depicting contemporary city life and soon achieved fame as a painter of street scenes. His many colourful portrayals of Copenhagen were soon to reap acclaim and Paul Fischer is today remembered in particular as the painter of both the men and especially the women of Copenhagen, often depicted in thumbnail sketches. This is the choice of subject revealed in the atmospheric “After the play outside the Royal Theatre”, which shows women in long capes and coats promenading around the King’s New Square in the winter chill.

Preview: 4-8 March

Auction: 8-12 March

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