Georg Seligmann was an accomplished Danish painter of genre scenes, urban views, and landscapes. Known by his friends as quite a ‘character’, he was equally adept as an operatic baritone and a cellist.
Born in Copenhagen to Rudolf Seligmann, a grocer, he initially studied philosophy before training under the distinguished portrait painter Frans Schwartz (1850-1917). Also enrolling at a painting school run by Peder Severin Krøyer (1851-1909) and Laurits Tuxen (1853-1927). In discussions with fellow artists, he was proud of studying with Krøyer.
At 21, he debuted at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition, Denmark’s foremost show, with two landscapes. And the following year, his ‘Sunday in Thorvaldsen's Museum’ was acquired for the Hirschsprung Collection. Alongside this, he developed a strong reputation for portraiture with bourgeois clientele.
Following study trips to Holland, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Paris, it seems he lost interest in the academic rigour of Charlottenborg’s hanging committee as he switched to showing works at ‘Den Frie Udstilling’, The Free Exhibition. Established as a rebellion against the views of the academy, eminent contemporaries such as Vilhelm Hammershøi, Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh exhibited there.
Seligmann injected his works with emotion, an intangible sense of feeling - he connected with the subject. In his figurative pieces, we gain a sense of not only a model’s underlying spirit but also how the artist felt during the process. One gets the impression that he was a sensitive soul, moved by the environment around him.
He continued to exhibit at Den Frie for many years, becoming an integral part of the artistic ‘in-crowd’. In a letter to art critic Emil Hanover in 1890, Agnes Slott-Møller described him as “so incredibly funny” and “endearingly amiable, so witty, so silly witty!”
He’s represented in numerous public collections including Thorvaldsens Museum, Museum Sønderjylland, the Hirschsprung Collection, and the Danish Jewish Museum.
Exhibited
Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition, Exposition Universelle in Paris, Chicago, Berlin, Den Frie, Aarhus.
Public Collections
Thorvaldsens Museum, Museum Sønderjylland, Hirschsprung Collection, Danish Jewish Museum.
Timeline
1866
Born in Copenhagen to Rudolf Seligmann, a grocer, and Sophie Seligmann (born Weil).
1883
Studied philosophy.
1884
Trained under Frans Schwartz (1850-1917).
Enrolled at a painting school run by Peder Severin Krøyer (1851-1909) and Laurits Tuxen (1853-1927).
1887
Debuted at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition with two landscapes.
1888
His ‘Sunday in Thorvaldsen's Museum’ was acquired for the Hirschsprung Collection.
1889
Awarded a bronze medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris.
1892
Travelled to Holland, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Paris.
Began exhibiting at ‘Den Frie Usstilling’, The Free Exhibition.
1893
Married Jenny Heyman, the daughter of a grocer, in Copenhagen.
1899
Travelled to Italy.
1903
Travelled to Holland and Italy.
1924
Died in Montebello, Helsingør, Copenhagen.