Peder Severin Krøyer was a Danish painter known for his glowing beach scenes and the Skagen artists group. Born in Norway in 1851, he was raised in Copenhagen by foster parents and started art lessons very young. He finished the Royal Danish Academy at nineteen with medals and a scholarship.
Peder Severin Krøyer at a glance
- Born: 23 July 1851, Stavanger, Norway
- Died: 21 November 1909, Skagen, Denmark
- Nationality: Danish (born in Norway)
- Known for: Glowing beach scenes and the Skagen Painters
- Training: Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts; Paris under Léon Bonnat
- Signature works: Summer Evening on Skagen’s Southern Beach (1893), Midsummer Eve Bonfire on Skagen Beach (1906)
- Collections: Skagens Museum and the Hirschsprung Collection, Copenhagen
His career grew fast. He showed at Charlottenborg and gained a strong patron in Hirschsprung. Krøyer traveled through Europe, studied in Paris with Léon Bonnat, and picked up ideas from Monet and the other impressionists.
In 1882 he reached Skagen and made it his summer home, painting the beaches, fishermen and the lively artist crowd. He married Marie in 1889, and she appeared often in his work.
Krøyer’s health declined and he slowly went blind, but he kept painting. He died in Skagen in 1909, leaving behind beloved works like Summer Evening on Skagen Beach.