Frants Henningsen was an accomplished Danish painter of fine genre scenes, interiors and landscapes.
To contextualise the work of Frants Henningsen, one must first consider the evolution of ‘realism’, which emerged in France following the revolution of 1848. Led initially by the unyielding, self-assured, socialist, Gustave Courbet (1819-1877), the realists sought to banish the illusion of romanticism, which in their eyes, was elitist and bourgeois.
Rather than paint an idealised view through a looking glass, they painted the truth - regardless of how gritty it was. In his manifesto, he explained his desire:
“to be in a position to translate the customs, the ideas, the appearance of my time, according to my own estimation”.
Courbet shook the art world with his controversial mantra, producing standout pieces, such as ‘A Burial At Ornans’ (1849-1850) and The Artist’s Studio (1854).
Gustave Courbet, A Burial At Ornans (1849-50)
Some described him as a ‘savage’, while others began to take note. One such artist was Jean-François Millet (1814-1875), who was raised on a farm in the remote village of Gruchy, in Gréville-Hague, Normandy. He was aware that the working classes had been ignored as legitimate subject matter and began painting the world he understood. His iconic ‘The Gleaners’ (1857) and ‘The Angelus’ (1857-1859) are at the Musée d'Orsay.
Over in Denmark, the pervading style was still rooted in the Golden Age tradition. Everyday subjects were painted but often injected with a sense of grandeur to celebrate the homeland. Frederik Vermehren’s (1823-1910) ‘A Sower’ (1859) is a good example from this period. It’s a depiction of rural labour set against an iconic picturesque backdrop.
Frants Henningsen was Vermehren’s son-in-law and was raised during this vibrant time of artistic evolution. Following his training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, he headed for Paris to work with Leon Bonnat (1833-1922), an exceedingly traditional painter of merit. Bonnat’s precise, emotional, style would greatly influence the Dane for the remainder of his career.
Henningsen’s blend of academia, realism, and masterful figure painting led to his own style of 'naturalism'.
Frants Henningsen, Abandoned. But Not From Friends In Need (1888)
Frants Henningsen, A Farmer's Wife With Her Back Turned, Working In The Sun
But in contrast to Courbet’s grit, Henningsen conveyed his conservatism. When he chose to paint a funeral, he maintained a sense of Danish decorum.
Frants Henningsen, A Funeral (1883)
He's represented at the Statens Museum for Kunst. His brother was the artist Erik Henningsen (1855-1930).
Exhibited
Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition, Artists' Association, Berlin, Art and Industry Exhibition.
Public Collections
Statens Museum for Kunst.
Timeline
1850
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Frants Christian Ludvig Henningsen, a grocer, and Hilda Christine Charlotte Schou.
Studied at Christian Vilhelm Nielsen's drawing school.
1870-1875
Studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.
1875
Undertook a study trip to Germany.
Debuted at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition where he continued to exhibit until 1908 missing only six years.
1877-1878
Studied under Leon Bonnat in Paris.
1878
Undertook a study trip to Spain with Peder Severin Krøyer, Frans Schwartz and Julius Lange.
1880
Married Thora Vermehren in Copenhagen. The daughter of painter Johan Frederik Nicolai Vermehren and Thomasine Ludvigne Grüner.
1881
Undertook a study trip to Paris.
1882
Shown at the Artists' Association.
1890
Appointed a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.
1892
Shown in Berlin.
1897
Shown at the Art and Industry Exhibition.
1908
Died in Copenhagen.