Emilie Mundt and Marie Luplau School of Painting

Emilie Mundt and Marie Luplau

(Continued)

Although from different backgrounds these two ladies were destined to meet as students in Vilhelms Kyhn’s (1819-1903), right, painting school for women in Copenhagen. Emilie Mundt was the daughter of professor Carl Emil Mundt (1802-1973), mathematician and a politician, her mother died when she was very young. Marie Luplau was the daughter of Line Luplau-Monrad (1823-1891) and Daniel Luplau, a vicar. 

Danish coastal landscape by Vilhem Kyhn

Kyhn is considered one of Denmarks traditionalist Golden Age landscape painters. In his very long and prolific life he painted Denmarks rural but changing landscape. Although his school (1865-1895) was very important to the education of women with artistic ambitions it is said he was a fine painter but a less of a teacher and pedagogue.

The official Art Academy wasn’t for women, drawing from the life (nudes) was considered not decent for young ladies, and they were not admitted until 1888. Kyhn in his studio annex school saw some 75 women students, I’ve learned from this online available essay on Mundt and Luplau by Barbara Sjöholm. Mundt, who besides her landscapes was a very good portrait painter showing she could stand her ground in this field of art earlier forbidden to women  (above). Her painting, the reclining and reading lady on the plaid, below is also to be found on the wall in the photographs by Mary Steen showing their combined studio.

Photographs by Mary Steen, combined the show the studio of both women.

The couple later decided to travel to Munich for further education but not exactly finding there what they hoped for either. Paris, Italy and Britain they visited too. Both ladies knew very well what they wanted and decided starting their own painting school for women later assimilated into the Royal Academy , they’ve seen over 400 students . 

Coastal view by Marie Luplau is also seen on the easel in the studio photograph above

They set up a household and studios in Copenhagen. Reading the essay I’ve met some very progressive an equally artistic women, Harriet Backer and Kitty Kieland, painters, feminists and a couple too. Anna Ancher (1859-1935), left and below, who had been in Kyhn’s school too and is considered Denmarks most famous woman painter belonging to the Skagen group to which also Peder Krøyer (1851-1909) belongs. 

Mary Steen (1856-1939) the pioneer Royal court photographer who after Denmarks princes Alexandra married Queen Vicoria’s son Edward VII and thus  later queen of England, was introduced to the British court and became well known for portraying British royalty. Right: Queen Victoria knitting in Windsor Castle in 1895.  

Above two wonderful Danish landscape painting by Marie Luplau. The portrait of her mother Line Luplau, (below) is owned by the Danish parliament because of her progressive ideas and life long efforts concerning the development and rights of woman. Long before such ideas were as accepted and implied in many other European countries.

Professor Arnold Krog (1865-1931) artist and director of the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain factory, where Sophie Meyer worked, was married to    Emma and Sophie Meijer's aunt (fathers sister). His famous RCP design, in use by British monarchs, below

Discovering Knud Kyhn (1880-1969), Vilhelms Kyhn's nephew, in the Royal Copenhagen porcelain factory was a nice surprise too closing the circle on this posting. I shall have to restrain myself not starting collecting Knud's wonderful porcelain animal sculptures of which I cannot withhold you some examples.

  And Knud Kyhn is my kind of watercolor painter too. 

In these last couple of postings I tried to picture the world of Emma Meyer (1859-1921), shown in before posting. It was the reason and beginning of this account of my journey into the Danish artistic world second half of the 19^th century. 

Most pictures are mouse-clickable to embiggen.

All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational non commercial use only.
As was information from the essay by Barbara Sjöholm.