Vilhelm Kyhn

Anonymous sale (Property of a Private Collector, New York), New York, Sotheby's, Art of Enlightenment, 27 January 2005, lot 40A;
Where acquired by the present owners.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This oil on paper has been lined onto canvas and seems to be stretched on its original stretcher. Under ultraviolet light there are a few spots of retouch in the upper left corner visible and to a lesser degree in the upper right, and there is a thin vertical scratch above the head of the figure. Other than this there are no further losses or restorations at all and the painting should be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The present work is a rare Italian view by Vilhelm Kyhn, one of the most important painters of the Danish Golden Age.  A student of Christopher Eckersberg (1783-1853), known as the "father of Danish painting," Kyhn followed in his teacher's footsteps and journeyed through Italy from 1850-1852, visiting Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples.  Likely executed from sketches done en plein air, Kyhn's view of Capri has a sun-soaked feel, and one can almost sense the influence this new, southern light had on the Danish painter.  Back in Denmark, Kyhn was an influential teacher and founder of the "Cavern Academy," which met in his garden studio.  A forerunner to the "Free Art Schools," Kyhn's academy emphasized the importance of painting and drawing from life, en plein air.  His pupils included, among others, Carl Hammershoi and Anna Archer.