Axel Bredsdorff
Danish, 1883-1947

 

Unlike many of his contemporaries, who adopted the new cubistic and expressionistic styles, Axel Bredsdorff chose to continue with the Northern Light School of painting. His joy was landscape painting, especially the colorful and naturalistic scenes from the island of Bornholm. In addition, Bredsdorff was a very sought-after portraitist. He made the subjects come alive on the canvas. He is collected by numerous museums.

 

Training and Study Trips:
Childhood   Father and painter, Johan Bredsdorff (1845-1928), disciple of Vilhelm Kyhn .
1903-04      Technical School, Copenhagen - studied with H. Grønvold
1904-05      Kunstnernes frie Studieskole - studied with Kristian Zahrtmann
1907-08      Academy Colarossi, Paris - studied with Christian Krogh
1907-08      Italy and France (Paris)
1912           Sweden and Norway
1922           Paris

Museum Collections and Notable Works:
1912          Bathseba - small gold medal
1912          Portrait of Jacob Knudsen I - Fredensborg Museum
1914          Boy's First Encounter with Moa - big gold medal
1915          Portrait of Jacob Knudsen II - Storstrøms Kunstmuseum
1916          Boats in the Gilleleje Harbor - Bornholms Kunstmuseum
1917          Southern Brickyard near Rønne - Bornholms Kunstmuseum
1919-20     Old Man in His Garden. Portrait of J.U. Bredsdorff - Skive Kunstmuseum
ca 1930      From Kalundborgvej - Holbæk Museum
ca 1930      Road Through Hilly Landscape - Holbæk Museum
1933          View of Bramsnæs and the Bramsnæs Inlet - Holbæk Museum
Unknown    Road to Melsted, Bornholm - Vejle Kunstmuseum

Grants and Distinctions:
1911           Bielke
1911,          Hjelmstjerne-Rosencrone Prize
1912           Hjelmstjerne-Rosencrone Prize
1912           Awards from the Roya l Danish Academy of Fine Art, Copenhage,
1913           Awards from the Roya l Danish Academy of Fine Art, Copenhage
1915           Awards from the Roya l Danish Academy of Fine Art, Copenhagen
1912           Small gold medal
1914           Big gold medal

Exhibitions:
Group Shows
1908-47       Charlottenborg, Spring Exhibition - 38 shows
1908-13       Copenhagen, The Art Society's Fall Exhibit - 5 shows
1914            Malmö, The Baltic Exhibit
1922-1940   Charlottenborg, Fall Exhibit - 3 shows
1926-1942   Copenhagen, The Nov. 18th Society of Artists - 8 shows
1952            Charlottenborg, Danish Artist Families

Individual Shows
1913           The Independent Exhibition Hall*
1917          Christian Larsen 1917 Århus, The Art Exhibition Hall
1919          Danish Art Gallery
1934          Binger 1944 Skive, Skive Museum

Literature: Axel Bredsdorff was mentioned in newspaper articles, auction catalogs and Hanne Honnens De Lichtenberg's book Zahrtmanns skole, 1979 (The Zahrtmann School).

Notes: The Independent Exhibit was founded in 1891 by Johan Rohde and others in rebellion against the Charlottenborg Fund's conservative art views. Previously, Rhode and others had established Kunstnernes Studieskole (private art school) as an alternative to the Royal Academy whose teaching methods they considered old fashioned.

References and Source Material: Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen: www.kid.dk Weilbachs Kunstner Leksikon

Translation: Erna Maj