Carl-Henning Pedersen centenary

The centenary of one of the very biggest names in Danish art on 23 September is indeed cause for celebration. At ARKEN, the critically acclaimed exhibition “Carl-Henning Pedersen 100 years” was held from February to August, featuring more than 200 of his works. From 22 September, the same exhibition can be seen at Carl-Henning Pedersen & Else Alfelts Museum in Herning.

Like the two Danish art museums, Bruun Rasmussen will be putting the spotlight on Carl-Henning Pedersen’s fabulous universe at the autumn auction at Bredgade with 23 enchanting works. The highlights of the auction include three paintings from the collection of Carl-Henning Pedersen’s widow, Sidsel Ramson. The paintings, which have never before been put up for auction, have, until now, been in storage at Carl-Henning Pedersen & Else Alfelts Museum. According to the director of the museum, Hanne Lundgren Nielsen, the proceeds from the auction of the three paintings will go in full towards the expansion of the museum and will thus be of benefit to all the other amazing Carl-Henning Pedersen works stored and exhibited at the museum.

Fairytale painter

It is not for nothing that Carl-Henning Pedersen is known as the “fairytale painter”. His visual universe is populated with creatures seemingly from another world – magical and enchanting. The floating figures and the blue colour palette are his trademark, and the characteristically expressive, imaginative and poetic imagery is known and loved by many. Carl-Henning Pedersen’s spontaneous painting is rounded by the modern abstract painting – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t depict things. The visual universe, which he has cultivated from the outset, is characterised by a number of figures put together in ever changing constellations: birds, suns, masked figures, ships and castles.

Carl-Henning Pedersen was born in Copenhagen in 1913. From a working class background, Carl-Henning Pedersen grew up with a strong interest in politics. As a young man, he dreamed of becoming a composer or an architect. However, a stay at the International People’s College in 1933 would prove pivotal to his future. Here, he met Else Alfelt (1910-74), who introduced him to art. The couple were married the following year and, in 1936, they both debuted at the Artists’ Autumn Exhibition in Copenhagen.

Artistic partnership

Over the course of his 70-year artistic career, Carl-Henning Pedersen painted thousands of paintings, and he played an important role in the development of abstract art in Denmark – first, as one of the leading figures in the art group “Linien” (1934 -39) and then in the international CoBrA movement (1948-51) after the Second World War. He was also known for his participation in the Helhesten (Hell’s horse) art journal as well as the “Høst” (harvest) exhibitions and the annual exhibitions at Den Frie in Copenhagen, culminating with his solo exhibition in 1950.

When Else Alfelt died in 1974, it was not only a goodbye to Carl-Henning Pedersen’s beloved life companion, but also his closest critic and work colleague. They had 40 years together, and Carl-Henning Pedersen had hardly expected to experience yet another long and inspiring partnership with a woman. But fate had other ideas. In 1975, during a stay in Jerusalem, he met the Norwegian artist Sidsel Ramson. A few years later they married, and the meeting with Sidsel Ramson marked a turning point in his life – in the artist’s mature years, his paintings became freer and more glowing in their colour.

Auction: Tuesday 24 September at Bredgade 33, Copenhagen.

Preview: 12-16 September at the same address

View all works by Carl-Henning Pedersen

View the works from the collection of Sidsel Ramson

View all items including in the auction