Jørgen Emil Aabye, born Olsen, (9 June 1868 – 22 June 1959) was a Danish painter. His works were varied widely, ranging from religious art to portraits and landscapes. Above all, he is remembered for his portraits.

Early life

Born near Nørre Aaby on

Funen Funen (, ), is the third-largest List of islands of Denmark, island of Denmark, after Zealand and North Jutlandic Island, Vendsyssel-Thy, with an area of . It is the List of islands by area, 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in th ...

, he was the son of a well-to-do farmer. He began studying painting under Vilhelm Kyhn in Copenhagen before attending the

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts () has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Danish Academy of Portraiture, Sculpture, and Architecture in Cope ...

where he graduated in 1892. He then spent a couple of years at Zahrtmann's School in Copenhagen before completing his studies at J.F. Willumsen's school in Paris. As a student, he travelled widely to Germany, Italy and France. He changed his name from Olsen to Aabye in 1904.Sten Hartung, "Jørgen Aabye"
''Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs Kunstnerleksikon''. Retrieved 26 October 2013.

Career

Aabye came under many different influences during his studies. During his travels, he first associated with the

Pre-Raphaelites The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti ...

before coming under the influence of

Kristian Zahrtmann Peder Henrik Kristian Zahrtmann, known as Kristian Zahrtmann, (31 March 1843 – 22 June 1917) was a Danish painter. He was a part of the Danish artistic generation in the late 19th century, along with Peder Severin Krøyer and Theodor Philipsen, ...

in Copenhagen and then J.F. Willumsen in Paris. His religious works such as the

altarpiece An altarpiece is a painting or sculpture, including relief, of religious subject matter made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting or sculpture, ...

of Christ in the

Garden of Gethsemane Gethsemane ( ) is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, where, according to the four Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus Christ underwent the Agony in the Garden and was arrested before his crucifixion. The garden is ...

in Nørre Aaby Church and his paintings of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary were inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites or by

Carl Bloch Carl Heinrich Bloch (; 23 May 1834 – 22 February 1890) was a Danish painter. Early life and education Bloch was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and studied there at the Royal Danish Academy of Art (''Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi'') un ...

. Later he turned to landscapes which have a strong affinity to the work of Cézanne. His finest works are his portraits which display the joy of Naturalism's colour he had learnt from Zahrtmann and Willumsen. Aabye frequently exhibited at Charlottenborg (starting in 1892). From 1900, for a period of 40 years he spent every summer in

Skagen Skagen () is the northernmost town in Denmark, on the east coast of the Skagen Odde peninsula in the far north of Jutland, part of Frederikshavn Municipality in North Denmark Region, Nordjylland, north of Frederikshavn and northeast of Aalbo ...

becoming one of the younger generation of

Skagen Painters The Skagen Painters () were a group of Scandinavian artists who gathered in the village of Skagen, the northernmost part of Denmark, from the late 1870s until the turn of the century. Skagen was a summer destination whose scenic nature, local mi ...

. He spent his last 30 years at the

Kunstnerhjemmet Kunstnerhjemmet ( "The Artists' Home") on Gothersgade, opposite the Botanical Garden, in Copenhagen, Denmark, was built in the 1870s to provide affordable accommodation and studio facilities for artists. Founded at the initiative of Ferdinand Meld ...

(Artists' Home) in Copenhagen. His works include landscapes, interiors, floral paintings, portraits and genre subjects."Hjemmeside for Jørgen Aabye Samlingen"
. Retrieved 26 October 2013.

References

Literature

*Hans Buch (2008), ''Maleren Jørgen Aabye'', Middelfart Museum, 226 pages. {{DEFAULTSORT:Aabye, Jorgen Emil 1868 births 1959 deaths 19th-century Danish painters Danish male painters 20th-century Danish painters Skagen Painters People from Middelfart Municipality 19th-century Danish male artists 20th-century Danish male artists