The barque Galilei of Copenhagen. by Carl Locher
The boat is hauled ashore. by Carl Locher
Waves against the shore and ships on the horizon. by Carl Locher
Surf, dark clouds are gathering. by Carl Locher
Surf at Skagen. by Carl Locher
The Danish Navy squadron of 1890. by Carl Locher
The Danish Navy heading out. by Carl Locher
Der læsses tang ved Hornbæk Strand by Carl Locher
A Danish naval squadron at sea. by Carl Locher
A fisherman watching the sea. by Carl Locher
A three-masted barque and a brigantine at sea. by Carl Locher
Fishing cutters in the moonlit night by Carl Locher

Where to See Carl Locher

1 museum worldwide

About Carl Locher

Danish · 1851–1915 · Realism

sailing the Atlantic before painting it, then building a beachfront studio at Skagen

Read full biography →

Carl Locher's works are held in 1 museum worldwide.

Loading map…

🇩🇰 Denmark

1 museum

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where can I see Carl Locher's work?
    Carl Locher (1851-1915) is best known for maritime painting. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1872 to 1875. Many museums hold paintings by Locher. The Skagens Museum has a collection of his works; Locher lived in Skagen for extended periods. The National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst[1]) also possesses examples. Other museums with his paintings include the Ribe Kunstmuseum, and smaller regional collections. Locher's prints are less common in museum collections. These are mostly held by the Department of Prints and Drawings at the National Gallery of Denmark. Major auction houses occasionally offer his paintings and prints for sale. These sales provide another opportunity to view his art, although temporarily. Catalogues from these auctions can act as a reference.
  • What should I know about Carl Locher's prints?
    Carl Locher (1851-1915) was a Danish realist painter and printmaker, best known for marine paintings of Skagen in northern Jutland. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1872 to 1875, and he travelled extensively in Europe and North Africa. Locher is associated with the Skagen Painters, a group of artists who gathered in Skagen from the 1870s onwards. They were influenced by French Realism and Naturalism, and they often painted en plein air (outdoors). Other members included Peder Krøyer, Anna Ancher, and Michael Ancher. Locher's prints often depict scenes of ships and the sea. These prints are usually lithographs or etchings, made after his oil paintings. Examples include "The Rescue Boat Leaves Skagen" and "Moonlight over the Sea". His work captures the atmosphere of the coast, and the daily lives of fishermen and sailors. He aimed to portray the sea and its people with accuracy.
  • Why are Carl Locher's works important today?
    Carl Locher (1851-1915) was a Danish Realist painter, known for marine paintings and scenes of everyday life in the fishing village of Skagen. His pictures offer a historical record of this community at the northern tip of Jutland. Locher studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and with Léon Bonnat in Paris. He joined the community of artists known as the Skagen Painters, who gathered in Skagen each summer from the 1870s until the early 20th century. Other members included P.S. Krøyer, Anna Ancher, and Michael Ancher. Locher's images of ships and the sea are precise. He was commissioned to produce a series of paintings for the Copenhagen shipping company DFDS. These works document the company's fleet, and they demonstrate his skill in maritime representation. His detailed depictions of vessels, seascapes, and coastal life provide insights into the maritime history of Denmark.
  • What techniques or materials did Carl Locher use?
    Unfortunately, the provided passages do not contain specific information about Carl Locher's techniques or materials. They discuss the working methods of David Smith, Brice Marden, Jack Youngerman, and Claes Oldenburg, but not Locher. Without specific references, it is difficult to provide a detailed answer. Generally, as a marine painter working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Carl Locher would probably have employed traditional oil painting techniques. This would involve using brushes on canvas, applying layers of oil paint to build up colour and form. He may have also created watercolours and drawings, using watercolour paints or pencils and paper. The specific character of his technique would depend on his training, personal preferences, and the desired effect.
  • Who did Carl Locher influence?
    Carl Locher's artistic influence is not well documented in the provided texts. However, the passages discuss the influence of other artists, such as Pieter Bruegel and Caravaggio, on subsequent generations of painters. Bruegel's depictions of peasant life, for example, impacted artists like Roelandt Savery and Lucas van Valckenborch. Savery's Peasant Meal (1608) references Bruegel's Peasant Dance, though Savery's interpretation of peasant behaviour is less ambiguous and more derisive. Valckenborch, who became court painter to Maximilian II of Habsburg in 1579, drew on Bruegel's prototypes in his representations of interactions between peasants and the elite. Similarly, Caravaggio's impact extended to Dutch, French, and Spanish painters, including Rembrandt van Rijn and Diego Velázquez. His realistic style and ambiguous compositions resonated with artists, and his work experienced a revival in the 20th century due to the efforts of art historian Roberto Longhi.
  • Who influenced Carl Locher?
    It is difficult to identify specific influences on Carl Locher from the provided texts. The passages list numerous individuals associated with the Bauhaus school (1919-1933), including Gyula Pap, Richard Paulick, Max Peiffer Watenphul, Walter Peterhans, Josef Pohl, Hans Przyrembel, Konrad Püschel, Margaretha Reichardt, Rainer Maria Rilke, Otto Rittweger, Karl Peter Röhl, Agnes Roghé, Hajo Rose, Reinhold Rossig, Xanti Schawinsky, Hinnerk Scheper, Oskar Schlemmer, Joost Schmidt, Kurt Schmidt, Eberhard Schrammen, Lothar Schreyer, Herbert Schürmann, Kurt Schwertfeger, Werner Siedhoff, Alma Siedhoff-Buscher, Franz Singer, Franz Skala, Naum Slutzky, Irmgard Sörensen, Paula Stockmar, Gunta Stölzl, Wolfgang Tümpel, Otto Umbehr, Henry van de Velde, Reingard Voigt, Lis Volger, Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Nikolai Wassiljew, Vincent Weber, Margaret Willers, Hans Wittwer, Anni Wottiz, Iwao Yamawaki and Michiko Yamawaki. However, there is no direct mention of Carl Locher or his artistic influences within these lists. Therefore, based solely on these references, it's not possible to determine who influenced Carl Locher.
  • What is Carl Locher's most famous work?
    Carl Locher (1851-1915) is best known for his marine paintings, particularly those depicting the coasts and maritime life of Denmark. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Later, he became one of the Skagen Painters, a group of artists who gathered in the village of Skagen, in the far north of Jutland. Locher's most recognised work is arguably "The Rescue Boat Leaves Skagen" (1883). This painting captures the dramatic atmosphere of the sea and the bravery of the fishermen. It shows a rescue boat setting out from the shore amid rough waves. The work is celebrated for its realistic portrayal of the sea, its dynamic composition, and its depiction of the everyday lives of the people of Skagen. Locher's other notable paintings include "Moonlight over the Eastern Sea" and various scenes of fishing boats and coastal views around Skagen. He produced many etchings and lithographs, too. These further explore maritime themes. While "The Rescue Boat Leaves Skagen" may be his single most famous piece, his wider body of work has secured his place in Danish art history.
  • What style or movement did Carl Locher belong to?
    Carl Locher (1851-1915) was a Danish realist painter, best known for maritime scenes. He is associated with the Skagen Painters, a group of artists who gathered in the village of Skagen, Denmark, during the late 19th century. The Skagen Painters were influenced by the French naturalism movement. They moved away from the formal, academic styles of the time. Instead, they chose to paint en plein air (outdoors), capturing the natural light and colours of the coastal environment. They focused on everyday life, particularly the lives of fishermen and the local community. Locher's work shares characteristics with other Skagen artists, such as Peder Kroyer and Anna Ancher. These include a focus on naturalism, an interest in depicting the lives of ordinary people, and a use of light and colour to create atmosphere. However, Locher's particular specialism was ships and seascapes. He is remembered as one of Denmark's finest marine painters.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Carl Locher's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] museum Statens Museum for Kunst Used for: museum holdings.
  2. [2] wikidata Wikidata: Q2979668 Used for: identifiers.
  3. [3] book Husslein-Arco, Agnes, editor; Koja, Stephan, editor; Law, Rebecca (Translator), translator; McInnes, Robert (Translator), translator; Somers, Nick, translator; Monet, Claude, 1840-1926. Paintings. Selections; Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, h Used for: biography.
  4. [4] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography.
  5. [5] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-06-18. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

Keep exploring

Back to Carl Locher