Carl-Henning Pedersen facts for kids
Carl-Henning Pedersen (born September 23, 1913 – died February 20, 2007) was a famous Danish painter. He was a very important member of the COBRA art group, which was active from 1948 to 1951. People sometimes called him the "Scandinavian Chagall" because his art style was similar to Chagall's. Carl-Henning Pedersen was one of the most important Danish artists in the second half of the 20th century.
He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and grew up in a less wealthy part of the city. He had strong beliefs about how society should be. In 1933, he met Else Alfelt, who was also a painter, at a school in Elsinore. They got married in 1934. Else Alfelt encouraged Carl-Henning to paint. He first showed his art in Copenhagen in 1936. His early works were abstract, meaning they used shapes and colors instead of showing real things. His style was different from what some of his friends liked, but he kept creating his unique art. His abstract paintings used flat areas of color, similar to the style of Cubist artists and Paul Klee.
Contents
Carl-Henning Pedersen's Artistic Journey
Early Influences and Discoveries
In 1939, Carl-Henning Pedersen traveled to Paris on foot. There, he saw amazing artworks by famous artists like Picasso and Matisse. On his way back home, he visited an exhibition in Frankfurt am Main that showed "degenerate art". This was art that the Nazi government did not approve of. However, Carl-Henning found inspiration there, especially from the paintings of Chagall. Chagall's style became a big influence on Carl-Henning's art for the rest of his life.
During the Nazi occupation of Denmark, Carl-Henning joined an art group called the Høst group. He wrote about old Danish murals for their magazine, Helhesten. He continued to create modern abstract artworks, even though they were sometimes seen as controversial.
Joining the COBRA Movement
In 1948, Carl-Henning Pedersen and Else Alfelt helped start the COBRA movement. Other artists like Asger Jorn and Karel Appel were also part of it. The name "COBRA" came from the first letters of the cities where the founders lived: Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam. The artists in COBRA created art that was free, spontaneous, and used strong, bright colors. They stayed with the group until it ended in 1951.
Carl-Henning received several important awards for his art. He won the Eckersberg Award in 1950 and the Guggenheim Award in 1958. His art was shown in a big exhibition in Pittsburgh in 1961. He also represented Denmark at the Venice Biennale in 1962, which is a very important art event. In 1963, he won the Thorvaldsen Medal.
Later Works and Legacy
Creating Large-Scale Art
In the 1960s and 1970s, Carl-Henning Pedersen started making very large artworks. He created a huge mosaic called "Cosmic Sea" for the H. C. Ørsted Institute at Copenhagen University. He also made a massive tiled wall decoration called "Fantasy Play Around the Wheel of Life" for a courtyard in Herning. These large pieces showed his ability to work on a grand scale.
Donating His Art
Carl-Henning Pedersen was known for not wanting to sell his artworks. Instead, he gave thousands of his pieces to the Carl-Henning Pedersen and Else Alfelt Museum, which opened in Herning in 1976. He also donated more works to the Danish National Gallery in early 2007. This means many people can enjoy his art today.
Working on Ribe Cathedral
In the 1980s, Carl-Henning moved to Burgundy in France. However, much of his inspiration still came from Denmark. He surprised many people when he worked on redecorating the old Gothic cathedral in Ribe. From 1983 to 1987, he created murals, painted glass, and mosaics to illustrate stories from the Bible. He also made bronze sculptures and paintings using oils and watercolors.
Carl-Henning Pedersen passed away in Copenhagen in 2007 after a long illness. He is remembered as a unique and influential artist.
Images for kids
-
Carl-Henning Pedersen & Else Alfelts Museum in Birk outside Herning, Denmark
See also
In Spanish: Carl-Henning Pedersen para niños
