Lot 787 | Peder Moerk Moensted | Pergola with Old Grapevines on Capri

MOENSTED, PEDER MOERK
1859 Grenaa - 1941 Copenhagen

Title: Pergola with Old Grapevines on Capri.
Technique: Oil on canvas.
Measurement: 58 x 48,5cm.
Notation: Signed and dated lower right: P. Mönsted / Capri 1883.
Frame/Pedestal: Framed.

Provenance:
Private ownership, Germany.

When one hears the name Peder Moerk Mønsted, the words "clarity" and "landscape" come associatively to mind. That characteristic, photorealistic clarity was something the Danish artist came to know, appreciate and adapt already as a young man. Like all great artists of the 19th century, Mønsted first studied at the art academy. He expanded his knowledge and artistic skills through numerous journeys, across Europe and also North Africa.
Although Mønsted was a gifted portraitist who was literally overwhelmed by commissions, it is his idyllic landscapes that can be regarded as the artist's favourite motifs. The focus here was entirely on the radiant power of nature and its unspoiltness, which enchanted not only the artist himself, but above all his admirers. His landscapes stood in stark contrast to industrialisation and, retrospectively, bear witness to an escapism that testifies to a profound longing for times past. The present painting exemplifies the clarity, luminosity and idyllic quality of Mønsted's landscapes - he creates a place where one wants to linger, to have time to pause and rest. The view of the extensive pergola on Capri's coast stands out for its skilful composition and application of vibrant colours, which in combination lift the painting to a new level of depth. Drawing and colour take on an equal value in Mønsted's depiction of Capri, and do not - as usual - compete with each other.