By the end of the nineteenth century the domestic interior becomes a favorite motif. Painters like Vilhelm Hammershøi, Anna Ancher and Carl Larsson invite us to peek into their private spheres. In Kristiania (Oslo) Christian Krohg uses the interior as a stage for social debate, while the playwriter Henrik Ibsen uses architectural metaphors to question the structures of society. By the end of the nineteenth century the interior has become a space of indeterminate and potential meaning.

The widespread presence of interior motifs in late nineteenth-century Nordic painting can be seen as a consequence of an interior cult that is developed in the nineteenth century. During this century the domestic interior becomes the framework through which the bourgeoisie can express itself. According to the German philosopher, cultural critic and essayist Walter Benjamin this happens between 1830 and 1848 in France under the rule of King Louis-Philippe. Louis-Philippe supports the economical interests of the bourgeoisie, and this gives rise to the idea of the domestic interior as a space of exposure.

At the seminar art historical researchers from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden will cast new perspectives on Nordic interior paintings from the end of the nineteenth century, an area which in recent years has been subject to extensive research and exhibition  activity.

With this seminar we want to facilitate a forum were art historians and others can exhange research and ideas that may lead to new knowledge and collaborations spanning national and professional borders. The seminar is organised by the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies at Aarhus University (DK) and Brandts – Museum of Art & Visual Culture (DK) with support from New Carlsberg Foundation.

Participation

Participation is free. Registration is necessary and closes on 23 August 2019.   

Speakers

• Nils Ohlsen, director, Lillehammer Art Museum
• Gertrud Oelsner, director, The Hirschsprung Collection
• Bente Larsen, professor, University of Oslo
• Ellen Egemose, PhD-fellow, Aarhus University and curator, Brandts
• Martin Sundberg, curator, Norrköpings Konstmuseum
• Øystein Sjåstad, associate professor, University of   Oslo
• Rasmus Kjærboe, postdoc, Aarhus University and curator, Ribe Art Museum
• Jacob Wamberg, professor, Aarhus University

Audience

We hope that the seminar will be of interest to a broad audience. The seminar might be of interest to you if you are:

• Interested in late nineteenth-century pictorial
• Interested in late nineteenth-century interiors - could be artist’s or collector’s homes.
• A design historian, historian, architect, designer, or photographer/artist interested in this
• Interested in late nineteenth-century literature and
• Working theoretically or practically with art and

Presentations and discussions will be in English.

Questions

Contact organiser Ellen Egemose: [email protected]

Organisers                                            

The seminar is organised by CNCS - Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies, Brandts - Museum of Art & Visual Culture with financial support from New Carlsberg Foundation

Program

Each presentation is followed by a short discussion

9.00-9.30 REGISTRATION WITH COFFEE AND CROISSANTS

9.30-9.45 Welcome

• Welcome by Mads Damsbo, director, Brandts
• Practical information by Ellen Egemose, organiser, Brandts and Aarhus University
• Introduction by Jacob Wamberg, professor, Aarhus University

9.45-10.20 Is there such a Thing as a Nordic Interior Painting? - Nils Ohlsen, director, Lillehammer Art Museum

10.20-10.35 COMFORT BREAK

10.35-11.10 On Vilhelm Hammershøj, Photography and Artistic Processes - Gertrud Oelsner, director, The Hirschsprung Collection

11.10-11.45 The Silence of the Surface. On Hammershøj's Interiors - Bente Larsen, professor, University of Oslo

11.45-12.45 LUNCH BREAK (THE EXHIBITIONS ARE OPEN ALL DAY UNTIL 9.00 PM)

12.45-13.20 Walls of Ambiguity in Late Nineteenth-Century Nordic Painting - Ellen Egemose, PhD-fellow, Aarhus University and curator, Brandts

13.20-13.55 Thoughts from Below, Carl Larsson and the Carpet - Martin Sundberg, curator, Norrköpings Konstmuseum

14.00-14.30 BREAK AND REFRESHMENTS

14.30-15.05 Christian Krohg's Studio Interiors - Øystein Sjåstad, associate professor, University of Oslo

15.05-15.40 Queer Liminality in Kristian Zahrtmann's Interiors - Rasmus Kjærboe, postdoc Aarhus Universitet and curator, Ribe Art Museum

15.40-16.00 Wrap-up - Jacob Wamberg, professor, Aarhus University 

Odense International Film Festival Monday 26 August - Sunday 1 September   2019

Fancy seeing a short film in the afternoon or evening after the seminar? Each year Odense hosts the international short film festival OFF. This means one week of intense film watching. The films are presented in the buildings of a old textile factory, in the same complex of buildings as Brandts. Most of the film screenings are free, however booking tickets in advance is recommended. Check out this page for tickets and information: filmfestival.dk/en/programme/