This late 19th-century oil painting attributed to Danish artist Pietro Krohn (1840-1905) depicts a gently lit interior with a woman knitting before a statue of the Venus de Milo. It’s possibly the artist’s family home.
Described as the “Danish Art industry's great connoisseur and organiser”, Pietro Købke Krohn was a gifted multi-faceted creative who is celebrated both for his art and his broader work within the artistic community. He was the son of sculptor Frederik Christopher Krohn (1806-1883) and Sophie Susanne Købke (1807-1853), the sister of distinguished Golden Age painter, Christen Købke (1810-1848).
Following his education at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, his primary artistic pursuits were painting and illustration. His brother, Johan Jacob Krohn (1841-1925), was a successful writer and the pair collaborated on several publications.
His success as a painter gathered momentum during the 1870s, which coincided with his becoming a member of the Danish artists' colony in Rome. His better-known pieces are genre scenes featuring figures in domestic settings and it’s plausible that he painted his parents on occasion, probably within the family home. Here, the seated lady resembles his stepmother, Juliane Emilie Købke (1812-1880).
From 1880, Krohn diversified and undertook the first in a series of professional roles by becoming a costume designer at the Royal Danish Theatre where he also directed operas. In 1885, he was appointed as the artistic director of Bing & Grøndahl, a porcelain manufacturer, and from 1893, as the Head of the Danish Museum of Art & Design.
Throughout his career, he was embedded in the artistic scene and would regularly offer his services free of charge with the aim of education. A letter in the national archives refers to a lecture he gave on the history of Italian Art, which was particularly well received. His son became an art historian.
The original Venus de Milo stands over six feet tall and dates to around the 2nd century. It’s believed to represent Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
Monogrammed in the lower left and held within a gilt frame.
Learn more about Pietro Købke Krohn in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 24½” x 33” / 62cm x 84cm
Year of creation: c. 1875
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Assessed and approved by our conservator. Cleaned. Frame restored. Minor varnish-related shadow in the upper area by the doorway.
Our reference: BRV1772
