Erik Ludvig Henningsen (29 August 1855 - 28 November 1930) was a Danish painter and illustrator.
He is best known for his Social Realist paintings of poor and exposed groups in the 1880s and 1890s. He was the younger brother of Frants Henningsen who was also a painter.
Erik Henningsen was born in Copenhagen to Frants Ludvig Henningsen (1820-1869), a grocer, and Hilda Charlotte Christine née Schou (1824-1880).
He showed an early artistic talent and was articled to decorative painter A. Hellesen.
He also took drawing lessons privately with Christian Nielsen and was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1873.
He graduated in 1877 and won several awards and distinctions, including the Academy's Annual Medal in 1887 and 1890, the Ancher Prize in 1889, and in 1892 a travel scholarship of DKK 100.
His travels took him to Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands.
Artistic career
Henningsen became part of the group Bogstaveligheden, a forum for the Realists' humanitarian ideals about creating a better society through illumination and debate.
In his paintings from the 1880s and 1890s, Henningsen was preoccupied with the rights and living conditions of groups such as the unemployed, women, workers, children and the elderly.
Examples are Summum jus, summa injuria. The infanticide (1886, The Hirschsprung Collection and Evicted (1892, Danish National Gallery).
He also depicted the lighter aspects of human life, as in his paintings of street life in Copenhagen.
Towards the turn of the century Henningsen mainly painted historical scenes.
An example is his mural in the banquet hall of the University of Copenhagen's main building on Vor Frue Plads in Copenhagen.
It depicts the banquet at the Scandinavian Scientist Conference held in Roskilde in 1847.
It completed a series of murals depicting the history of the university of which the earlier painting had been created by Vilhelm Marstrand, Carl Bloch and Vilhelm Rosenstand.
During the two first decades of the 20th century he mainly painted genre works from the lives of the bourgeoisie.
Illustrations and decorative works
Henningsen also worked as an illustrator, both for the weekly magazine Ude og Hjemme and books such as Pietro Krohns Peters Jul (1914).
In 1900, the Tuborg Breweries announced a competition for a "decorative advertisement poster" to mark its 25 years jubilee.
The first prize, which was rewarded with a sum of DKK 10,000, was taken by Jens Ferdinand Willumsen, but it was ultimately Henningsen's entry, known as The Thirsty Man, which was put into production by the brewery.
It has since obtained iconic status and become one of the most immediately recognizable posters in Denmark. | Source: © Wikipedia
Erik Ludvig Henningsen (29 agosto 1855 - 28 novembre 1930) è stato un pittore ed illustratore Danese. È meglio conosciuto per i suoi dipinti del realismo sociale di gruppi poveri ed esposti negli anni 1880 e 1890.
Era il fratello minore di Frants Henningsen, anch'egli pittore.
Erik Henningsen nacque il 29 agosto 1855 a Copenaghen da Frants Ludvig Henningsen (1820-1869), un droghiere, e Hilda Charlotte Christine nata Schou (1824-1880).
Ha mostrato un talento artistico precoce ed è stato arruolato nel pittore decorativo A. Hellenen.
Ha anche preso lezioni di disegno privatamente con Christian Nielsen ed è stato ammesso alla Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts nel 1873.
Si è laureato nel 1877 e ha vinto numerosi premi e riconoscimenti, tra cui la medaglia annuale dell'Accademia nel 1887 e nel 1890, il Premio Ancher nel 1889, e nel 1892 una borsa di studio di viaggio di 100 DKK.
I suoi viaggi lo portarono in Germania, Italia, Francia e Paesi Bassi.
Carriera artistica
Henningsen divenne parte del gruppo Bogstaveligheden, un forum per gli ideali umanitari dei realisti sulla creazione di una società migliore attraverso l'illuminazione ed il dibattito.
Nei suoi dipinti degli anni 1880 e 1890, Henningsen era preoccupato per i diritti e le condizioni di vita di gruppi come i disoccupati, le donne, i lavoratori, i bambini e gli anziani.
Esempi sono Summum jus, summa injuria. L'infanticidio (1886, The Hirschsprung Collection and Evicted (1892, Danish National Gallery).
Ha anche rappresentato gli aspetti più leggeri della vita umana, come nei suoi dipinti della vita di strada a Copenaghen.
Verso la fine del secolo Henningsen dipinse principalmente scene storiche.
Un esempio è il suo murale nella sala Banchetti dell'edificio principale dell'Università di Copenaghen in Vor Frue Plads a Copenaghen.
Raffigura il banchetto alla Conferenza degli scienziati scandinavi tenutasi a Roskilde nel 1847.
Ha completato una serie di murales raffiguranti la storia dell'università di cui il precedente dipinto era stato creato da Vilhelm Marstrand, Carl Bloch e Vilhelm Rosenstand.
Durante i due primi decenni del '900 dipinge principalmente opere di genere della vita della borghesia. | Fonte: © British Wikipedia
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