Viggo Christian Frederik Vilhelm Pedersen (March 11, 1854 – April 19, 1926) was a Danish

landscape painter Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction in painting of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, rivers, trees, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a cohe ...

who also explored religious, portrait, and domestic art. Known for his vibrant style and rich color palette, Pedersen's works reflect a profound connection to nature and tradition, while embracing modern techniques. He was the son of

Vilhelm Pedersen Thomas Vilhelm Pedersen (28 January 1820 – 13 March 1859) was a Danish painter and illustrator who is known for his illustrations for fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. He was the first artist to illustrate Andersen's works. His drawing ...

and the brother of Thorolf Pedersen.

Biography

Early life and education

Pedersen was born in

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 the premier lieutenant and artist

and Adolphine Marie Pedersen. His brother was Thorolf Pedersen. He began his artistic training under his father before studying at 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 ...

from 1871 to 1878. While at the Academy, he was mentored by

P.C. Skovgaard Peter Christian Thamsen Skovgaard (known as P. C. Skovgaard; 4 April 1817 – 13 April 1875) was a Danish national romantic landscape painter. He is one of the main figures associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting. He is especially known ...

and

Janus la Cour Janus Andreas Bartholin la Cour (5 September 1837 – 13 October 1909) was a Danish painter who is remembered for his landscapes painted in the classical style of the Eckersberg school. Biography Born near Ringkøbing, he spent much of his earl ...

, and his early works exhibited their influence. Pedersen's first major recognition came in 1877 when he received the Sødring Prize for his painting ''Outside a Brewery.''

Career

Pedersen traveled extensively throughout his career, visiting

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

(1873),

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

(1881),

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, and

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

. These journeys, particularly his time in Paris, exposed him to modern French landscape art, which significantly influenced his style. Works like ''A Rutted Path under Old Trees'' (1882), acquired by the Statens Museum for Kunst, and ''Sunshine in the Living Room'' (1888) demonstrate the impact of these experiences. In 1890, Pedersen's painting ''At the Approach of Night'' earned him the prestigious Annual Medal. He later joined the Free Exhibition, becoming a prominent contributor from 1891, and was elected to the Royal Danish Academy's plenary assembly in 1904, serving on its council from 1908 to 1911. He exhibited in Paris in 1889 and 1900 at the Universal Exhibition.

Personal life

Pedersen married twice. His first marriage, in 1884, was to Elisabeth Bella Marie Borup, with whom he had three sons: Christen Jul Viggo Pedersen, an instructor; Stefan Viggo Pedersen, a painter and illustrator; and Johannes Viggo Pedersen, a pianist and organist. His daughter, Ruth Sora Viggo Pedersen, died young. After Elisabeth's death in 1905, he married Johanne Louise Aagaard in 1906.

Artistic style

Primarily a

, Pedersen's works are characterized by their vibrant colors and atmospheric depth. He painted rural scenes, domestic interiors, and biblical compositions, including ''The Annunciation'' and ''Isaac Sees Rebecca Approaching,'' the latter noted for its grandeur and originality. In his later years, Pedersen produced numerous works inspired by the landscapes 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 ...

and Italy, such as ''The Angel and the Women at the Tomb of Christ.'' His paintings often balance naturalistic detail with a poetic sensibility, drawing comparisons to

Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...

ideals.

Legacy and collections

Pedersen's works are part of several major collections, including the Statens Museum for Kunst,

Hirschsprung Collection The Hirschsprung Collection ( Danish: Den Hirschsprungske Samling) is an art museum located on Stockholmsgade in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located in a parkland setting in Østre Anlæg, near the Danish National Gallery, and houses a large coll ...

National Museum of Norway The National Museum (, officially the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design) is a museum in Oslo, Norway which holds the Norwegian state's public collection of art, architecture, and design objects. The collection totals over 400,000 w ...

Nationalmuseum Nationalmuseum is the List of national galleries, national gallery of fine arts of Sweden, located on the peninsula Blasieholmen in central Stockholm. The museum's operations stretch far beyond the borders of Blasieholmen, including the Natio ...

Nivaagaard Nivaagaard is a historic property in Nivå in the northern outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is now home to an art gallery and the park is open to the public. History The estate was founded in 1767 by Adam von Lüttichau when he purchased Niv ...

, and the

Finnish National Gallery Finnish National Gallery (, ) is the largest art museum institution of Finland. It consists of the Ateneum, an art museum; Kiasma, a contemporary art museum; and the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, a historic house and art museum. The organization's ...

. He also illustrated Danish

poems Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

and remained influential in the Danish art scene until his death in

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 53,354 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

in 1926.

Gallery

File:Viggo Pedersen - Figurerne badning ud for den danske kyst.jpg, ''Figures Bathing by the Danish Coast'' File:Viggo Pedersen Summer showers 1887.jpg, ''Summer Showers'' (1887) File:Viggo Pedersen - Lirifloden med vaskekoner - 1884.png, ''The Liri River with Washerwomen'' (1884) File:Viggo Pedersen - Efterårslandskab med en vindmølle - 1877.png, ''Autumn Landscape with a Windmill'' (1877) File:Viggo Pedersen, Solskin i dagligstuen Kunstnerens hustru og barn, 1888, KMS1363, Statens Museum for Kunst.jpg, ''Sunshine in the Living Room: The Artist's Wife and Child'' (1888), Statens Museum for Kunst File:Viggo Pedersen - Sankt Hans aften 1889, Skamstrup.png, ''Midsummer Eve'' (1889), Skamstrup File:Viggo Pedersen - Solnedgang over Havet. Haga. Kullen - 1916.png, ''Sunset Over the Sea, Haga, Kullen'' (1916) File:Viggo Pedersen - Isak ser Rebekka komme. Studie.png, ''Isaac Sees Rebekah Approaching'' (Study) File:Viggo Pedersen - Landskab med træer og sten - 1882.png, ''Landscape with Trees and Stones'' (1882) File:Viggo Pedersen - Efterårslandskab med stendysse - 1882.png, ''Autumn Landscape with a Dolmen'' (1882)

References

External Links

Viggo Pedersen
at SMK.de {{DEFAULTSORT:Pedersen, Viggo Danish painters Danish landscape painters Danish portrait painters Danish genre painters 20th-century Danish painters Artists from Copenhagen 1854 births 1926 deaths