Vilhelm Hammershoi

Vilhelm Hammershøi was a Danish painter of the Golden Age of Danish painting. He showed an aptitude for drawing from an early age and received his first training from Jon Gulsen Berg, a court painter and wallpaper designer. He attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and studied under Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, the father of Denmark's Golden Age. He was influenced by Niels Laurits Høyen, an advocate of the National Romantic movement who encouraged artists to portray the Danish people and culture in rural settings. Hammershøi exhibited his works from 1838 and won several prizes and medals. He also served as a military officer during the Three Years' War with Prussia and later traveled to Italy with the Academy's support. His paintings from Italy and after his return were well received by the public and critics. He painted genre scenes, landscapes, portraits, and historical subjects. He was known for his use of color and light, and his attention to detail and accuracy. He died in Copenhagen in 1916 and left behind numerous paintings in museums and private collections.