National Gallery of Denmark

Collections

The museum's collections constitute almost 9,000 paintings and sculptures, approximately 240,000 works of art on paper as well as more than 2,600 plaster casts of figures from ancient times, the middle-ages and the Renaissance. Most of the older objects come from the Danish royal collection. Approximately 40,000 pieces from the collections are expected to be made available online by 2020.

European Art 1300–1800

The display of European Art from 1300–1800 is a comprehensive collection of art over the 500-year period, featuring works by Mantegna, Cranach, Titian, Rubens and Rembrandt. The art is spread over thirteen rooms, and is the oldest art collection in Denmark, with a particular emphasis on Danish, Dutch, Flemish, Italian, French, Spanish and German pieces.

Danish and Nordic Art 1750–1900

Danish and Nordic Art 1750–1900 charts Scandinavian art from the beginnings of Danish painting through the 'Golden Age' to the birth of Modernism. It displays over 400 works through 24 galleries. It features work by Abildgaard, Eckersberg, Købke, Ring, and Hammershøi.

French Art 1900–1930

SMK gained its modern French art collection in 1928 when it was donated by the late collector Johannes Rump. This collection features some of the museum's most famous pieces from artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Derain and Braque. The collection was first offered to the SMK by Rump in 1923, but was rejected by the director Karl Madsen, as he did not believe it to be of a high enough quality.

Danish and International Art After 1900

Housed in the museum's 1993 extension, this 20th and 21st century collection is predominantly focused on the most important examples of modern Danish art. A long corridor of paintings looking onto Østre Anlæg park works as a chronological overview of the work from this period, whilst the smaller galleries focus on specific artists or movements.

The Royal Collection of Graphic Art

The Royal Collection of Graphic Art contains more than 240,000 works: copper prints, drawings, etchings, watercolours, lithographic works and other kinds of art on paper, dating from the 15th century to the present day. The beginnings of this collection were made around the time of Christian II. In his diary from 1521 the German painter Albrecht Dürer says he has given the King "the best pieces of all my prints".

In 1843, the various works, which had so far been the king's private collection, were displayed to the public. It was then moved into the Statens Museum for Kunst when the first building was completed in 1896, along with The Royal Collection of Paintings and The Royal Cast Collection.

Although the papers contain a great number of foreign works, Danish art constitutes the main part of the collection. This collection is open to the public through the Print Room, access to which must be booked in advance of arrival.

The Royal Cast Collection

The Royal Cast Collection is held at the West India Warehouse, Toldbodgade 40, between The Little Mermaid and Nyhavn in Copenhagen. It consists of over 2,000 naked plaster casts of statues and reliefs from collections, museums, temples, churches, and public places throughout the world, from antiquity to the Renaissance. The Royal Cast Collection is only open for special events. The art was first put on display in 1895 with the intention of edifying visitors about the progression of representations of the human form over time in parallel with growing social, political and aesthetic awareness in the Western world.

At the start of the Second World War, the art of antiquity became increasingly unfashionable, associated with an archaic artistic tradition. In 1966, as abstract art became more popular, the Royal Cast Collection was removed to a barn outside Copenhagen for storage and only revived in 1984 when it was removed to the West India Warehouse.

History

Since then a great variety of purchases have been made. During the 19th century, the works were almost exclusively by Danish artists, and for this reason, the museum has an unrivalled collection of paintings from the so-called Danish Golden Age. That the country was able to produce pictures of high artistic quality was something new, and a consequence of the establishment of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1754.

More recently, the collection has been influenced by generous donations and long-term loans. In 1928 Johannes Rump's large collection of early French Modernist paintings was donated to the museum. This was followed by purchases of paintings and sculpture in the French tradition.

Architecture

The original museum building was designed by Vilhelm Dahlerup and G. E. W. Møller and built 1889–1896 in a Historicist Italian Renaissance revival style.

Towards the back of the museum is a large modern extension designed by the architects Anna Maria Indrio and Mads Møller from Arkitektfirmaet C. F. Møller. The extension was erected in 1998 to house the extensive modern art collection. The two buildings are connected by a glass panelled 'Street of Sculptures' walkway and theatre which stretches the entire length of the museum and looks out onto the Østre Anlæg park. Talks, concerts and installations are all held in this area.

Gallery

File:7 Cecco di Pietro, Madonna and Child, Copenhagen Statens Museum for Kunst.jpg | Cecco di Pietro, Madonna and Child, 1371 File:St. Michael and the Dragon by unknown Spanish artist - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08174.JPG|Unknown Spanish artist, Saint Michael and the Dragon File:Korsfæstelsen.jpg|Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), date unknown, Crucifixion (Kreuzigung) File:Donato Bramante, Den hellige Christophorus (c. 1490).jpg|Saint Christopher, by Donato Bramante, 1490 File:Bortførelse på en enhjørning.jpg|Abduction on a Unicorn, by Albrecht Dürer, 1516 File:Lucas Cranach d.Ä. - Das Urteil des Paris (Statens Museum for Kunst).jpg|The Judgement of Paris, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1527 File:Kurfyrst Frederik den Vise (1463-1525) af Sachsen's jagt.jpg|The Stag Hunt of the Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, probably after 1529 File:Lucas Cranach the Elder - Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey - Google Art Project.jpg|Venus and Cupid, the Honey Thief, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1530 File:Lucas Cranach d.Ä. - Melancholie (Statens Museum for Kunst).jpg|Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1532, Melancholia File:Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08170.JPG|Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1532, Portrait of Martin Luther File:The Tax Collector and His Wife by Marinus van Reymerswale - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08147.JPG|Marinus van Reymerswale, 1540, The Moneychanger and His Wife File:Det fede køkken. "Voluptas Carnis".jpg|Pieter Aertsen, 1565–1575, The Fat Kitchen. An Allegory File:Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem - The Fall of the Titans - Google Art Project.jpg|Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem, The Fall of the Titans, 1596–1598 File:Apollon og Diana straffer Niobe ved at dræbe hendes børn.jpg|Apollo and Diana Punishing Niobe by Killing Her Children, by Abraham Bloemaert, 1591 File:The Way to Calvary by Peter Brueghel the Younger - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08141.JPG|Peter Brueghel the Younger, , The Way to Calvary File:Hendrick Goltzius Cadmus Statens Museum for Kunst 1183.jpg|Hendrick Goltzius, between 1573 and 1617, Cadmus Slays the Dragon File:Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Solomon - Google Art Project.jpg|The Judgement of Solomon (1617) Peter Paul Rubens File:Blomsterbuket i en stenniche.jpg|Bouquet of Flowers in a Stone Niche, Ambrosius Bosschaert, 1618 File:Buste af Camilla Barbadori. Moder til Pave Urban VIII Barberini.jpg|Bust of Camilla Barbadoni, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1619 File:Hendrick Brugghen - Christ Crowned with Thorns (Kristi Tornekroning) - c 1620 - National Gallery of Denmark.jpg|Christ Crowned with Thorns (1620) Hendrick ter Brugghen File:Isabel de Borbón, from Statens Museum for Kunst, by Diego Velázquez.jpg|Diego Velázquez, , Isabel de Borbón File:Bebudelsen.jpg|The Annunciation, by Francesco Solimena (unknown date) File:Johannes Simon Holtzbecher - Cyclamen purpurascens; Cyclamen hederifolium - Google Art Project.jpg|Cyclamen purpurascens; Cyclamen hederifolium, by 1649-1659 File:Den fortabte søn i selskab med kurtisaner by Johann Wolfgang Baumgartner.jpg|The Prodigal Son Living with Harlots, by Johann Wolfgang Baumgartner (unknown date) File:Gerhard Morell 1765 by Johann Salomon Wahl.jpg|Gerhard Morell, by Johann Salomon Wahl, 1765 File:Den sårede Filoktet.jpg|The Wounded Philoctetes, by Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard, 1775 File:Amor patriae. Allegori på kærlighed til fædrelandet.jpg|Amor patriae. Allegory symbolising patriotism, by Carl Frederik Stanley, 1777 File:Det russiske linieskib "Assow" og en fregat til ankers på Helsingør red.jpg|The Russian ship of the line 'Assow' and a Frigate at Anchor in the Roads of Elsinore, Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1828 File:Arrestbygningen ved råd- og domhuset.jpg|The Prison of Copenhagen, by Martinus Rørbye, 1831 File:Youth by Ditlev Blunck - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08249.JPG|Ditlev Blunck, 1840–45, Youth, from the series The Four Ages of Man File:Cathrine Jensen, f. Lorenzen, kunstnerens hustru med turban.jpg|The Artist's Wife, Catherine Jensen, wearing a turban, Christian Albrecht Jensen, –1844 File:Bøgeskov i maj. Motiv fra Iselingen.jpg|A Beech Wood in May near Iselingen Manor, Zealand, by Peter Christian Skovgaard, 1857 File:Carl Bloch - In a Roman Osteria - Google Art Project.jpg|In a Roman Osteria (1866) by Carl Bloch File:Bretagne-pige ordner planter i et drivhus.jpg|Bretagne-pige ordner planter i et drivhus, by Anna Petersen, 1884 File:Adam and Eve by Harald Slott-Moller - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08287.JPG|Harald Slott-Moller, 1891, Adam and Eve File:Dansk landskab 1891 by Harald Slott-Møller.jpg|Danish Landscape, by Harald Slott-Møller, 1891 File:Artemis.jpg|Artemis, by Vilhelm Hammershøi, 1893–1894 File:Asiatisk Compagnis bygninger, set fra St. Annæ Gade.jpg|The Buildings of the Asiatic Company, seen from St. Annæ Street, by Vilhelm Hammershøi, 1902 File:Henri Matisse Self-Portrait in a Striped T-shirt (1906).jpg|Henri Matisse, 1906, Self-Portrait in a Striped T-shirt File:Henri Matisse, Le Luxe II, 1907–8, Distemper on canvas; 82 1-2 x 54 3-4 in. (209.5 x 138 cm), Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen.jpg|Henri Matisse, 1907–08, Le Luxe II File:Jean Metzinger, 1911-12, La Femme au Cheval - The Rider.jpg|Jean Metzinger, 1911–1912, La Femme au Cheval (Woman with a horse) File:Alice (Amedeo Modigliani).jpg|Amedeo Modigliani, , Alice

References

References

1. {{in lang. da [http://www.visitdenmark.com/NR/rdonlyres/6B0978E0-6822-4A88-9973-B2573288B329/0/VisitDenmarkAttraktionsstatistik2007_Top50.pdf Attraktionsstatistikken 2007 – top50] {{webarchive. link. (15 February 2012 . 25 April 2008.)
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5. "Danish and Nordic Art 1750 – 1900: About the Display". Statens Museum for Kunst.
6. "French Art 1900 – 1930: Rump, Matisse and the French Collection". Statens Museum for Kunst.
7. "Danish and International Art After 1900: About the Display". Statens Museum for Kunst.
8. "About the collection of Graphic Art". Statens Museum for Kunst.
9. "About the collection of Graphic Art". Statens Museum for Kunst.
10. "About the collection of Graphic Art". Statens Museum for Kunst.
11. "The Royal Cast Collection: The History of the Cast Collection". Statens Museum for Kunst.
12. "The Royal Cast Collection: The History of the Cast Collection". Statens Museum for Kunst.
13. (1998). "Statens Museum for Kunst 1827–1952". Gyldendal.
14. (1998). "Statens Museum for Kunst 1827–1952". Gyldendal.
15. (26 June 2018). "Danish and International art after 1900". Statens Museum for Kunst.
16. (1998). "Statens Museum for Kunst 1827–1952". Gyldendal.
17. "National Gallery of Denmark – Extension".