Knud Agger (26 September 1895 – 2 February 1973) was a self-taught Danish painter. After a series of paintings from everyday life, he became ever involved in painting his family, home and garden at

Helsingør Helsingør ( , ; ), classically known in English as Elsinore ( ), is a coastal city in northeastern Denmark. Helsingør Municipality had a population of 63,953 on 1 January 2025, making it the 23rd most populated municipality in Denmark. Helsin ...

in the north of the island of

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

. With time, his work took on a visionary and strongly

existentialist Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and value ...

character.

Biography

Knud Agger was originally from

Holstebro Holstebro is the main town in Holstebro Municipality, Denmark. The town, bisected by Storå, Denmark, ''Storåen'' ("The Large Creek") and has a population of 37,487 (1 January 2025).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 ...

but moved to

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

to study architecture at the architecture school of 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 ...

. He returned to his native region in 1928 to paint landscapes of

Limfjorden The Limfjord ( common Danish: ''Limfjorden'' , in northwest Jutlandish dialect: ''Æ Limfjord'') is a shallow part of the sea, located in Denmark where it has been regarded as an inlet ever since Viking times. However, it now has entries both ...

and

Venø Venø is a small Danish island located in Limfjorden in the north of Jutland, north of Struer. It is long and has a maximum width of . With an area of , it has a population of 165 as of 1 January 2025.

. In 1929, he moved to

where he remained until his death in 1973. In 1939, he completed three large paintings to be hung in the new state high school at Struer. One of the paintings shows the town of Struer and its harbour, the two others present scenes from Klovvig on the island of

. After the war, Agger frequently returned to his summerhouse on Venø where he worked on numerous landscapes and sketches until heart problems put an end to his journeys there in 1965. In his later years, he focused increasingly on using stones he had found on Venø as a basis for his skies. With time, the stones totally dominated his work. One of the paintings earned him the

Thorvaldsen Medal The Thorvaldsen Medal (Danish language, Danish: Thorvaldsens Medalje, Thorvaldsen Medaillen) is awarded annually with few exceptions to a varying number of recipients by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and is its highest distinction within th ...

in 1971. Knud Agger's final work was an 8m tall stained glass window at Abildgård's Church in

Frederikshavn Frederikshavn () is a Danish town in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland, on the northeast coast on the North Jutlandic Island in northern Denmark. Its name translates to "Frederik's harbor". It was originally named Fladstrand. The ...

.Abildgård kirke from Frederikshavn Provsti (in Danish).
Retrieved 15 December 2008.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agger, Knud 1895 births 1973 deaths People from Holstebro Danish Impressionist painters Danish architects Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni Recipients of the Thorvaldsen Medal Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal People from Helsingør

Biography

See also

References