The trees of Svend Hammershøi

---

Just to give you a break from my black and white digital drawings, I like to introduce you to a rather unknown Danish painter that I fancy: Svend Hammershøi.

Svend Hammershøi was the younger brother of the more known and celebrated Vilhelm Hammershøi, who is mainly associated with his downplayed grey interiors. You can read about him here, and go check out his painting on the net - there should be a lot, and he is a great painter.

Sunshine. Dust Motes Dancing in the Sunbeams by Vilhelm Hammershøi

Svend Hammershøi was first and foremost a ceramic artist, but also a very interesting painter. I remember the first time I saw one of his landscapes, and the one thing that attracted me was the way he painted trees. The smallest twigs and sprigs being represented only by a darker colour - the way they look if you narrow your eyes. There aren't a lot of image material on the net but I have found these four beautiful examples.

The avenue by Svend Hammershøi. Found here

A View of Tom Tower, Oxford by Svend Hammershøi. Found here

Tree in a Copenhagen courtyard by Svend Hammershøi. Found here

A view of the courtyard of the museum of decorative arts by Svend Hammershøi. Found here

---