6. Rudolf Rud Petersen (1861–1971)

Rudolf Rud Petersen (1861–1971)

Landscape with Trees, 1925–1926

oil on canvas, 95.5 × 140.5 / 109.5 × 154.5 cm

signature in the lower left: RudP. / 1925–1926

He was a Danish artist and the son of an herbalist and brewer. He studied painting techniques under T. V. Papari. After completing his studies, he worked as an assistant to Joakim Skovgaard on the frescoes for Viborg Cathedral, among other projects. He specialised in painting decorative church frescoes. His first major project was decorating the apse of a church in Wodzisław.He was also inspired by the frescoes in Pompeii and was taught the technique of encaustic (wax) painting by Tito Venturini Papari in Rome. The artist also created a number of works depicting folk life and landscapes.

Description:

This painting depicts a simple spring/summer landscape with a harmonious composition divided into three horizontal sections. In the foreground, a strip of greenery grows along the shore of a lake. The dominant trees, lush with foliage, tower over the entire composition in this area. The trunks on the left of the painting undulate strongly, appearing light and sculptural. Those closer to the centre curve in an arc or bend backwards. Their crowns block the sun, casting the foreground in shadow.

Above this strip of water, two small sailboats can be seen in the distance. Beyond that, a narrow band of rocky, sparsely vegetated terrain emerges, forming the opposite shore of the lake. The bright blue sky is filled with billowing white clouds.

The colour palette is restrained, with the greens of the vegetation and the blues of the water and sky prevailing. The paint is applied smoothly and carefully.

In the lower left corner, the painting is signed by Petersen. His distinctive signature, 'RudP’, is visible, accompanied by the date '1925–26′. Attached to the stretcher is a label bearing the large printed numeral “1”, with the date 1926 underneath. Slightly higher and to the right of this are the handwritten initials 'U.C.’ and the artist’s signature, 'Rud Petersen’. On the right stretcher bar, the number 128 is written in white.