Astrid Noack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Astrid Noack
|
|
|---|---|
The artist with her bust of Anna Ancher
|
|
| Born | 30 January 1888 Ribe, Denmark
|
| Died | 26 December 1954 (aged 66) Copenhagen, Denmark
|
| Nationality | Danish |
| Known for | Sculpture |
|
Notable work
|
|
| Awards |
|
Astrid Noack (born January 30, 1888 – died December 26, 1954) was a talented Danish sculptor. She was known for making beautiful statues of people. Some of her famous works include a statue of Anna Ancher in Skagen and her sculpture called Standing Woman. This sculpture is so important that it's part of Denmark's official list of important cultural works!
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Astrid Noack was born in Ribe, Denmark. Her father was a merchant. In 1902, when she was about 14, Astrid moved to Copenhagen. There, she started working by painting porcelain at the Aluminia factory.
She later went to Vallekilde Folk High School. This is where she really focused on sculpture. By 1910, she became a qualified apprentice. She continued to learn from important artists like Ivar Bentsen and Joakim Skovgaard. She even helped Skovgaard decorate the ceiling of Viborg Cathedral in 1948. She worked as a wood carver for this project. During this time, she met other artists who encouraged her to become an independent sculptor.
Time in Paris
In 1920, Astrid Noack received a special grant. This allowed her to travel to Paris, France. At that time, Paris was a very exciting place for sculptors. Many new ideas in art were coming from there.
In Paris, she met Adam Fischer. He was an important person in her artistic journey. He helped her understand new French art ideas. She also became friends with Lena Börjeson. Lena had started a free art school called the Académie Scandinave. This school offered informal lessons and held art exhibitions.
Astrid studied French Gothic sculpture with Jean Osouf. Later, in 1926, she became a student of Adam Fischer. She also learned from French sculptors Charles Despiau and Paul Cornet. They helped her develop her own unique style of sculpture. Astrid Noack was one of the few women artists who benefited from this new French art movement called Classical Modernism.
Returning Home to Denmark
After spending 12 years in Paris, Astrid Noack returned to Copenhagen in 1932. She started showing her work at art exhibitions, like those held by the Grønningen group. Slowly, more and more people began to recognize her talent.
From 1936 to 1950, she lived and worked in a special building in Nørrebro, a part of Copenhagen. She created many sculptures during this time. She made many busts, which are sculptures of a person's head and shoulders. Some of these were even of children.
Some of her most famous works include:
- Holtepigen (1937), made from French limestone.
- Stående Kvinde (Standing Woman) (1942), carved from teak wood.
- Her statue of Anna Ancher (1939), which is in the garden of Skagens Museum.
- Det korsfæstede Menneske (The Crucified Man) (1945), a unique sculpture of Christ.
Her Artistic Style
Astrid Noack's sculptures were inspired by the modern art she saw in France. Her art showed a strong connection between life and art. She mainly focused on sculpting human figures. Her sculptures often showed people simply standing, sitting, or kneeling.
At a time when some artists showed people in a negative way, Noack wanted to show her belief in humanity. Her works were honest and seemed to express a hopeful wish for people to come together.
Exhibitions and Awards
Astrid Noack's sculptures were shown in many exhibitions. She exhibited her work not only in Denmark but also in other cities like Paris, Budapest, Helsinki, and Rome.
After she passed away, two large exhibitions of her work were held. One was in 1955 by Kunstforeningen, and another was in 1988 at the Holstebro Art Museum.
Astrid Noack received important awards for her art. She was given the Eckersberg Medal in 1940. In 1954, the same year she died, she received the prestigious Thorvaldsen Medal.
