Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand Holm, often referred to as H.G.F. Holm, (23 April 1803,

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

– 1 May 1861,

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

artist and engraver who is remembered for his finely detailed topographical paintings and drawings of

and surroundings."H.G.F. Holm"
''Den Store Danske''. Retrieved 16 June 2011.

Biography

Holm initially followed in the footsteps of his father as an engraver and illustrator. He had almost certainly been a pupil of C. J. Thomsen who insisted on accuracy and detail, qualities which are reflected in his own work. As a result, Holm quickly became a master of his genre, not only as an illustrator but in the difficult technique of watercolour painting. He began to specialize in illustrating prospectuses, often sketching areas and buildings of interest before making multiple copies at home, often with minor variations. He sometimes produced skeleton drawings which he later coloured with watercolour. His subjects were taken mainly from the streets and squares of Copenhagen, comprising castles and churches, the stock exchange, the university, as well as views of the city from vantage points such as

Rundetårn The Round Tower (Danish: Rundetårn) is a 17th-century tower in Copenhagen, Denmark, one of the many architectural projects of Christian IV of Denmark. Built as an astronomical observatory, it is noted for its equestrian staircase, a 7.5-turn hel ...

. In addition, he produced a series of works covering the surrounding countryside, for example the collection ''Sjællands yndigste Egne'' (1826–28). Many of his plates appeared in magazines such as ''Magazin for Ungdommen'' (1839–40), its successor ''Cosmorama'' (1840–43), and ''Nyt Magazin for Natur og Menneskekundskab'' (1848). He also illustrated prospectuses for the Royal Procelain Factory, especially in regard to designs for tea and coffee cups. Despite Holm's high rate of productivity, he constantly suffered from lack of money, which frequently drove him to drink. The resulting vicious circle encouraged him to sell his works at low prices which explains how he was given the nickname: ''Fattigholm'' or "Poor Holm".John Erichsen, "H.G.F. Holm"
''Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs Kunstleksikon''. Retrieved 16 June 2011.

Works

Holm's many small works continue to be of considerable value. They are of great topographical and cultural interest as they provide one of the best representations of Golden Age Copenhagen, both in terms of the city as a whole and its individual buildings, including life in the streets. In addition, thanks to their high technical quality and his sense of colour, his watercolours are of high artistic quality.

Gallery

File:Trinitatis Church - Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand Holm.jpg, Trinitatis Church and Rundetårn: watercolour File:Christiansborg Holm 1837.jpg, Christiansborg Palace File:Charlottenlund---ca1830.jpg, Charlottenlund File:Sankt Annæ Plads - Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand Holm.jpg, Sankt Annæ Plads, watercolour File:Dronninggård (H.G.F. Holm) (2).jpg,

Dronninggård Næsseslottet is an 18th-century country house located on the shores of lake Furesøen at Holte north of Copenhagen, Denmark. The name, which translates as "Peninsula House", is a reference to the buildings setting on a narrow peninsula which ...

(1826)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holm, Heinrich Gustav Ferdinand 1803 births 1861 deaths 19th-century Danish painters 19th-century Danish engravers 19th-century Danish printmakers Danish male painters Artists from Copenhagen Danish cityscape artists 19th-century Danish male artists