artist: Gunnar Nikolajsen (Danish 1898-1983)
medium: oil pastel on paper
dimensions: 45 x 38 cm framed size (approx)
signed
circa 1965
* study for a larger oil on canvas labeled 'Landscape on the Faroe Islands', sold at Bruun Rasmussen's auction, Copenhagen - Modern Art and Design 10 May 2022 no. 2219/616.
presented in a new hand finished timber frame with double archival mat and backing, and new non-reflective UV glass
AU $850 (approx US $600 / 520 EUROS / 94,500 yen / 445 GBP - for exact current conversion visit xe.com)
artist biography
Gunnar Nikolajsen was born on August 4, 1898 Næstved. He was a Danish artist.
Gunnar Nikolajsen had his earliest contact with art at the Kähler's ceramic workshop. Nikolajsen originally did a painting apprenticeship from 1913-1914, and then in 1916 entered the Kunstakademiet (The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts) in Copenhagen studying under K. Hansen-Reistrup and P. Rostrup Boyesen. Later, his stay in Paris and the study of the works of LA Ring and especially Vilhelm Hammershøi became important for his artistic development. In 1921-22 he settled for a time in Odsherred, Denmark where he painted landscape paintings. These are built up of rhythmically arranged areas of colour and painted with broad brushstrokes in a limited but well co-ordinated colour scheme. The landscapes from Lejre, Dernmark which were created in the summer months from 1923 onwards, are of the same nature. In the winter he stayed in Copenhagen, where he mainly painted figurative works. Nikolajsen is particularly known for his evocative figurative works, where form over actual portraiture was Nikolajsen’s focus. Shortly after the end of World War II, he traveled for the first time to the Faroe Islands, which later became his favourite travel destination and the primary inspiration and subject matter for his work. He travelled there frequently and eventually settled In the early 1960s living in the capital Tórshavn. It was after this move that the motifs of his works were predominantly of Faroese nature. The church in Bøuro also appears in many of the Faroe Islands pictures. These were painted with broken and graduated palette and show an intense immersion in the motif, which is worked through in a calm and simple compositional form.
Nikolajsen exhibited extensively throughout his career. Select exhibitions include Charlottenborg Forår (Spring exhibition) in 1938, 1940; Sommerudst (Summer Exhibition) at Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen in 1941; Decembristerne (The Decembrists) 1943-44, 1953, 1957, 1962, 1965; Danske Kunstudstilling, Oslo (The Danish Art Exhibition in Oslo) in 1946; Grønningen 1948, 1953; Købestævnet, Fr. in1954; Da. Konst, Göteborg Konsthall in 1955; Charlottenborg Gennem 100 år (Through 100 years), Charlottenborg in 1957.
He is represented in the permanent collection of the the National Gallery of Denmark - Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Nikolajsen passed away on May 11, 1983 in Næstved.