Summers at the Skagen Art Colony

 It was while reading that plein air artist were meeting in places like our beautiful lavender fields, that I thought of another time when summers brought out artists. No, it wasn't the French Impressionists, although they did informally come together. It was the Scandinavians. 

 

You see, in the summers from about 1870 until around the 1900s, Skagen, Denmark was where they gathered. It was mainly a fishing village with a long strand of beach and something known as "Blue Hour," when the color of the sky and the water merged. It had the effect of tricking the eye into a loss of horizon.

These artists of the Skagen Colony broke away from the strictures of their art education and embraced Impressionism and Realism as their techniques for portraying the local folks, the scenery and even their own gatherings.They stayed in local hotels and met regularly - no doubt to discuss their art.It must've have been a jolly and interesting time.

 

 

Beyond that, Skagen was the inspiration for artists whose works are highly valued to this day. One of them, Anna Ancher, was the subject of a blog post in August, 2020. There must be something about summer and Skagen that draws me!

Beyond the paintings of their own gatherings, here are examples of the paintings made during their time at Skagen: (Personally, the portrait of the lone fisherman in the mighty sea is my favorite. What's yours?)

Note the dog. There's that anticipation of something.