This charming late 19th-century oil painting by Danish artist Axel Schovelin (1827-1893) depicts a picturesque view at the deer park in Copenhagen. Schovelin was an accomplished academy-trained painter predominantly known for landscapes.
Illuminated by the ebullient rays of summer, the pleasing environs of Dyrehaven. Where deer skip through seemingly endless pastures and sun-tipped ponds shimmer in tranquil silver. Schovelin loved it here, returning time and time again, clutching pencils and sketchbooks.
Dating to the 1600s, numerous creatives have been captivated by its scenic delights including the Golden Age painter, Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, and writer, Hans Christian Andersen. It’s an important historic site with Bronze Age barrows and ancient rock carvings. Over on the right, you’ll notice one of the park’s iconic red entrance gates - there are 15 of these in total and they remain a distinctive feature.
Born in Copenhagen, the son of a bookseller, Schovelin developed an advanced ability for drawing early in life and it’s plausible that, via his father’s shop, he had access to numerous study materials. At just twelve years old, a child prodigy, he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, making him one of the youngest students to enrol.
During his time at the Academy, he trained under the great romanticist, Johan Ludwig Lund (1777-1867), who was known to champion the old masters, including the Dutch landscape painters of the 17th century. Lund was an inspiration and the influence of his tutor can be seen throughout his oeuvre.
In 1848, now 21, he debuted at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition, where he would continue to show works for the next 45 years. Popular with bourgeois clientele, his pleasing snapshots of the verdant countryside engendered a sense of national identity - a Denmark to cherish.
Despite undertaking sketching tours in Germany and France, his style remained unaltered as the decades passed. He remained true to his roots, dedicated to working in the image of his artistic forebears. He was particularly enchanted by the dense forests of Zealand and, towards the end of his life, published a collection of etchings, titled ‘Strange Old Danish Trees in Particular Oak and Beech’.
He’s represented at the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Inscribed on the reverse and held in a gilt frame, which is probably original.
Learn more about Axel Schovelin in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 31” x 22” / 80cm x 56cm
Year of creation: 1872
Labels & Inscriptions: Inscribed with the artist’s name on the reverse.
Provenance: Auction 371, Winkel & Magnussen, Copenhagen, 1952, lot 36 / Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Cleaned. Relined. Old repairs. Canvas slightly undulant in areas. Faint stretcher marks. Craquelure throughout. The paint layer is stable. Frame with various marks and showing its age.
Artist’s auction maximum: £13,206 for ‘Parti af Landsbyen Kragholm paa Faareveildgods paa Langeland’, Oil on canvas, Copenhagen, 2003
Our reference: BRV1864
