An Artist Who Inspires- Vilhelm Hammershøi

There is something so very intriguing and mysterious about viewing someone’s back.

A lot of images in my art depict people’s backs. 

First of all, they are interesting visually, because they are the least body-like body-part. They are like a wall, or a blank page. There is an inherent tension created by being in someone’s presence, yet not being able to discern their expression, like they have closed eyes, or are wearing a mask. 

I recently found a postcard I have had for years. Before the internet, anytime I went to a museum, I would buy a slew of postcards to take home with me, because collecting images didn’t just happen with the click of a button.

This postcard says it was produced by The Louvre. This means I bought it around 1998. I’ve had it in my possession ever since. I was drawn to its elegance, simplicity and mystery.

Vilhelm Hammershøi was born in 1864 in Copenhagen, Denmark. His style is distinctive and consistent. His landscape are muted and empty, and even when he painted citiscapes, he found an unusual point of view to express an atmosphere of mystery. But he is best known for his interiors, and the multiple depictions of people’s backs, particularly the nape of a woman’s nape neck.
 

Vilhelm Hammershøi, Rest

Vilhelm Hammershøi, Ida Sitting and Reading

Vilhelm Hammershøi, Interior

Vilhelm Hammershøi, Bedroom

Vilhelm Hammershøi, Ida, Interior with a White Chair

Vilhelm Hammershøi, Figures By the Window