Johannes Martin Fasting Wilhjelm (7 January 1868 – 22 December 1938) was a Danish painter. Strongly influenced by

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, ...

, he painted bright, colourful landscapes while travelling in Italy. His works also include religious paintings and portraits. He frequently visited the artists' colony of

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 ...

in the north of Denmark where he painted scenes of the dunes and beaches.

Early life and education

Born in

Nakskov Nakskov is a market town on the island of Lolland in south Denmark. The town has a population of 12,200 (1 January 2025) and is the largest town on the island of Lolland. It is located in Lolland municipality in Region Sjælland. Nakskov is situ ...

, Wilhjelm matriculated from high school in 1887. After studying at Harald Foss's technical school in Copenhagen, he entered 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 ...

in 1888. He then studied art under P.S. Krøyer at the

Kunstnernes Frie Studieskoler Kunstnernes Frie Studieskoler was an art school established in Copenhagen in 1882 as a protest against the policies of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and to provide an alternative to its educational program. It existed until 1912 and was a ...

from 1892 to 1894. Later, in 1903, he also spent a year studying under

.Hanne Honnens de Lichtenberg, "Johannes Wilhjelm"
''Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs Kunstnerleksikon''. Retrieved 27 October 2013.

Career

In 1893, Wilhjelm travelled to Italy with Kristian Zahrtmann, developing a close friendship with him which was strengthened by his brother's marriage to Zahrtmann's sister the same year. Zahrtmann strongly influenced his painting, especially when Wilhjelm attended his school in Copenhagen in 1903. In some of his earlier works, including ''Bøn om Regn'' and ''Vinhøst I Abruzzerne'', Wilhjelm employs a frieze-like relief style which Zahrtmann strongly discouraged. By contrast, his bright, colourful works from Italy, above all those from

Civita d'Antino Civita d'Antino () is a ''comune'' and town in the province of L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region of Central Italy. History ''Antinum'' was a city of the Marsi: it is mentioned in ancient sources only by Pliny, who enumerates Antinum among the citie ...

such as ''Motiv fra en Procession i Appenninerne'' reveal Zahrtmann's influence. Later he painted landscapes of Jutland's moors as can be seen in his ''Idyl paa Heden'' (1908). His later works also include religious figures and

altarpieces 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, ...

including ''Daphnis og Chloë'' (1906) and a number of portraits."Johannes Wilhjelm"
''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon''. Retrieved 27 October 2013. Wilhjelm joined the

artists' colony Art colonies are organic congregations of artists in towns, villages and rural areas, who are often drawn to areas of natural beauty, the prior existence of other artists, art schools there, or a lower cost of living. They are typically mission- ...

in the north of

Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...

where he painted from c. 1910. From 1916, he had a house in Skagen Østerby. His works include scenes of the dunes around the Sand-Covered Church or of the beach at ''Sønderstrand'' (the south shore) where some of his paintings include figures, often with one or more of his daughters as models. Several of his works can be seen in

Skagens Museum Skagens Museum is an art museum in Skagen, Denmark, that exhibits an extensive collection of works by members of the colony of Skagen Painters who lived and worked in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Important artists include M ...

including ''Malerinder på Skagen'' (1912) and a portrait of

Michael Ancher Michael Peter Ancher (9 June 1849 – 19 September 1927) was a Danish Realism (art movement), realist artist, widely known for his paintings of fishermen, the Skagerak and the North Sea, and other scenes from the Danish fishing community in Skag ...

Brøndums Hotel Brøndums Hotel, in the little harbor town of Skagen in the north of Denmark, is remembered for its close associations with the late 19th-century artists colony known as the Skagen Painters. It still operates as a hotel today. History The hotel ...

. He exhibited his work in Charlottenborg every year from 1893 to 1939 as well as at

Den Frie Udstilling Den Frie Udstilling ('The Free Exhibition') is a Danish artists' association, founded in 1891 by artists in protest against the admission requirements for the Kunsthal Charlottenborg. Modeled on the Salon des Refusés, it is Denmark's oldest asso ...

and at various exhibitions in Italy, France, Norway, Germany and Britain. From 1905 to 1914 he was a member of Charlottenborg's standing committee and from 1914 to 1922 he had a seat at the Academy.

Awards

Wilhjelm was awarded the

Eckersberg Medal The Eckersberg Medal (originally the ''Akademiets Aarsmedaille'' or Annual Academy Medal) is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It is named after Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, known as the father of Danish painting. The ...

in both 1910 and 1911.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilhjelm, Johannes 1868 births 1938 deaths 19th-century Danish painters Danish male painters 20th-century Danish painters Skagen Painters Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni People from Nakskov 19th-century Danish male artists 20th-century Danish male artists