Question 1

Where can I see Viggo Johansen's work?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen's paintings are held in several public collections, primarily in Denmark.

The Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen holds a good selection of his works, including paintings such as "Christmas Eve" (1891), one of his best-known pieces. This museum focuses on Danish art of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Other Danish museums with Johansen's paintings include the Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark), also in Copenhagen; and the Skagens Museum, which holds art relating to the Skagen Painters, a community of artists including Johansen who gathered in Skagen, Denmark.

Internationally, Johansen's work is less common in public collections. However, some examples may be found in museums with broad collections of European art. Check museum websites to confirm whether works are on display, as pieces may be in storage. Major auction houses sometimes offer his paintings for sale as well.

Question 2

What should I know about Viggo Johansen's prints?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen (1851-1935) was a Danish painter, but information regarding his printmaking is scarce. Prints are generally divided into fine art and decorative markets, so it is important to know which market Johansen's prints were intended for.

Prints in limited editions are numbered; this is done by writing the print's individual number, followed by the total number of prints in the edition (for example, 35/100). Some artists also create artist's proofs, which are marked "AP". The number of prints in an edition is limited by the number of impressions that can be made from the plate before it wears out. Some publishers set their own limits to increase a print's value.

Prints are often signed in pencil by the artist. The price of a print depends on the artist's reputation, the image's popularity, and the quality of the materials used.

Question 3

Why are Viggo Johansen's works important today?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen (1851-1935) was a Danish painter, a member of the artistic group known as the Skagen Painters, who gathered in the north of Jutland each summer. He is remembered today for his genre paintings and interiors, often depicting family scenes with a focus on domestic life and the play of light.

Johansen's work provides insight into the artistic community of Skagen and the broader developments in Scandinavian art at the turn of the century. His approach, while not overtly avant-garde, offered a subtle commentary on Danish bourgeois life. Although Danish art was somewhat overshadowed by the COBRA group, Johansen's paintings remain relevant as examples of the Nordic vision, which, according to Asger Jorn, acknowledges what we produce ourselves, whether large or small.

Question 4

What techniques or materials did Viggo Johansen use?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen's techniques involved a range of materials and approaches. Like many artists, he made preliminary sketches. For his oil paintings, Johansen often employed white grounds, a technique that gained popularity among British artists after 1820. White grounds offered luminosity and allowed for rapid development of compositions due to the fast-drying paint on absorbent surfaces. Some eighteenth-century artists also used white grounds to add luminosity to their oil paintings.

Constable, a contemporary, produced oil sketches on mid-toned grounds, such as buff, red, or blue, though his exhibited works did not always reflect this variety. Turner, another British artist, thinned paint excessively and sometimes mixed paint with drying oil, leaving recognisable blobs. He also applied sky paint thickly with a palette knife and used white impasto. Bosch applied only one thin coat of paint, except for red and green glazes over opaque substrates, where more layers were used.

Question 5

Who did Viggo Johansen influence?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen's influence is difficult to measure directly, but he was part of a larger movement of artists who drew inspiration from Dutch masters. These artists, including Johan Christian Claussen Dahl and Caspar David Friedrich, moved away from the traditional academic focus on Italian art. They instead adapted elements of Dutch art into their own work, popularising them throughout Europe.

Prints played a significant role in disseminating the Dutch masters' style. These prints provided compositional patterns for young artists. Emulating these works allowed artists to combine faithfulness to nature with academic inventiveness. Even Goethe recognised the impact of prints on artistic development, noting how frequently they were copied by amateurs.

Another artist associated with Johansen's circle was Jens Ferdinand Willumsen. Willumsen, born in Copenhagen in 1863, explored various styles, including naturalism, symbolism, and expressionism. His travels exposed him to diverse influences, and he adapted his themes accordingly. Willumsen's work, characterised by colour and theatrical effects, demonstrates a search for artistic freedom.

Question 6

Who influenced Viggo Johansen?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen, like many artists of his era, synthesised a range of influences. Dutch art was a significant source of inspiration for many Scandinavian artists. In the late 18th century, Dutch art influenced Jens Juel, who began a revival of native painting. Artists learned by copying Old Masters, whose works were available in royal collections and through prints. Emulating the Dutch masters allowed artists to be faithful to nature and fulfil academic obligations. Johan Christian Claussen Dahl adapted the 'Scandinavian' elements of the Dutch style. Thomas Fearnley studied Bloemaert, Wouwerman, Ruisdael and Both in Copenhagen in 1821. Similarly, Jens Ferdinand Willumsen borrowed from German Expressionists, the Danish school, and Nordic Symbolism. In 1890, Willumsen met Paul Sérusier and Maurice Denis, discovering Odilon Redon through Theo Van Gogh. During a summer trip to Brittany that year, he met Gauguin.

Question 7

What is Viggo Johansen's most famous work?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen is best known for his paintings of domestic interiors, often featuring his family. He was a Danish painter, and a member of the Skagen group of artists who gathered in the north of Jutland.

Among his most recognised works is "Christmas Eve" (1891), also known as "Helga Johansen Reading Aloud". It depicts his wife, Martha Johansen, reading to their children by candlelight. The painting is admired for its depiction of family warmth and the atmosphere created through the light. It is in the collection of the Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen.

Another notable piece is "A Birthday Party" (1902), which similarly captures a family celebration. These paintings are characteristic of Johansen's focus on everyday life and his skill in rendering light and shadow. His work provides insight into the domestic life of the Danish upper middle class at the turn of the century. He moved away from these intimate domestic scenes later in his career, becoming a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Question 8

What style or movement did Viggo Johansen belong to?

Accepted Answer

Viggo Johansen (1851-1935) was a Danish painter; he is best known for his domestic interior scenes. He belonged to the Skagen group of painters. This was a community of Danish and Nordic artists who congregated in Skagen, Denmark, from the 1870s onwards.

Johansen studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1875 to 1882. He first visited Skagen in 1875, but became a regular visitor from 1883. Other members of the Skagen group included Peder Severin Krøyer and Anna Ancher. These artists were influenced by French Realism and Impressionism. They often painted en plein air, capturing the natural light and atmosphere of the coastal environment.

Johansen's paintings often depict his family in their home. These works are characterised by their intimate and warm atmosphere. He became a professor at the Royal Danish Academy in 1906, and he served as its director from 1915 to 1918.

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🇭🇺 Hungary

Hungarian National Gallery

🇸🇪 Sweden

Nationalmuseum

Gothenburg Museum of Art

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