'Madonna' by Axel Helsted, Paris Universal Exposition, Danish Academy Fine Arts, Palestine, Rome

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Inscribed, verso, with artist's name, Axel Helsted (Danish, 1847-1907) and painted circa 1895. Additionally titled, verso, 'Madonna'. Accompanied by a … Read more Inscribed, verso, with artist's name, Axel Helsted (Danish, 1847-1907) and painted circa 1895. Additionally titled, verso, 'Madonna'. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Son of the artist Frederick Ferdinand Helsted, Axel studied under his father and at the Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen (1861). He exhibited widely and with success including at the Charlottenborg (1865-1869, 1872-1873, 1875-1880, 1882-1886, 1888-1889, 1892-1895, 1898-1899, 1902-1907), Paris Universal Exposition (1878, 1889, 1900, bronze medal), in Vienna (1872, 1882, 1889) and throughout Germany (Hamburg 1887; Munich 1891, 1892, 1894, 1901), and also at the Chicago World's Fair (1893). Among other positions, Helsted was a member of Copenhagen's Academic Council (1887-1892) and of Charlottenborg's exhibition committee (1893-1907).

In 1869, Helsted traveled to Paris where he studied under Bonnat but left for England at the start of the Franco-German war in 1870. He journeyed on to Italy where he would stay for 9 years. In 1887, he traveled to Belgium and Holland and, in 1890, to Palestine. There, his religious faith was strengthened and he painted a series of paintings that show a fervent striving in his representation of biblical scenes. Helsted's psychologically penetrating portraits give him a special place in Danish art in describing a wide range of human emotion without sentimentality but, rather, through action and expression. Differing from this emotive style is the tightly composed Italo-Byzantine-influenced interior decoration of the Municipal Hospital's Church. Here his vision has been adapted to the architect's structure and reveals an understanding of Byzantine art nurtured during his stay in Italy and his journey to Palestine.

Reference:
E. Benezit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs, et Graveurs, Jacques Busse, 1999 Nouvelle Édition, Gründ 1911, Vol. 6, page 884; Weilbach, Dansk Kunstnerleksikon, the Castle and Cultural Agency, Copenhagen; Thieme-Becker Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zu Gengenwart, Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag 1992, Vol. 15/16, page 358-359; Pole. 18.2.1907 (E. Goldschmidt); Ill. Tid., 1906-07, 173f; 1907-08; Berl. Aft. 22.2.1907 (obituary); 1.10.1907; Say. Müller: Nordens Biledkunst, 1905, 174f; NOK Zahrtmann. A Memorial Book, 1919; M. Galschiøt: Scandinavians in Rome, 1923; F. Hendriksen: One then. Artists Circle, 1928; Say. Schultz in: Da. in Paris, II, 1938, 321; E. Zahle: Danm. Painting, 4th edition 1956; Francis Bull: North. Artist Life in Rome, 1969, 210; Ole Wivel: Gods in front; et al. See less