Anna Ancher: Painting Light

This November Dulwich Picture Gallery will present Anna Ancher: Painting Light, the first major UK exhibition dedicated to Anna Ancher (1859 – 1935), one the most important and innovative artists in Danish history, and one of the few women of her era to achieve widespread recognition for her work.

Bringing together rarely seen studies discovered in Ancher’s home with a wide selection of works spanning her remarkable career, the exhibition will feature over 40 paintings – among them several of her most celebrated masterpieces, such as The Maid in the Kitchen (1883 – 1886), on loan from The Hirschsprung Collection, and Interior. Brøndum’s Annex (c. 1916), on special loan from Skagens Museum.

Though widely regarded in Denmark as one of the country’s greatest artists, Ancher remains relatively unknown to British audiences. This exhibition will offer a rare opportunity to experience her intimate paintings, revealing her pioneering use of colour and masterful ability to capture light, firmly positioning her among the leading artists of the late nineteenth and early 20th century.

A key voice in the Scandinavian ‘Modern Breakthrough’ movement, Ancher sought to depict everyday life with honesty and authenticity. She was a central figure among the Skagen Painters and nearly all her work depicts scenes in and around Skagen. Her intimate connection to the town and its people shines through in her work — from the contemplative Old Man Whittling Sticks (1880), her formal debut as an artist, to the radiant Sunlight in the Blue Room (1891), where light becomes almost tangible. Her art bridges tradition and modernity, drawing on French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism while remaining deeply rooted in the culture and rhythms of coastal Denmark.

Ancher’s success was remarkable at a time when women faced significant barriers in the art world and she built an acclaimed international career to became one of Denmark’s most celebrated female artists.

The exhibition will include a small selection of works by Ancher’s female contemporaries: Marie Luplau (1848-1925), Emilie Mundt (1842-1922), Marie Sandholdt (1872-1942) and Louise Bonfils (1856-1933).

Anna Ancher: Painting Light is curated by Helen Hillyard, Head of Collection, Dulwich Picture Gallery, in partnership with Skagens Museum.

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