Johann Julius Exner stands as a prominent figure in the Golden Age of Danish Painting and the subsequent National Romantic period. Born in Copenhagen on November 30, 1825, and passing away in the same city on November 15, 1910, Exner dedicated his artistic career primarily to genre painting, becoming one of Denmark's most beloved chroniclers of rural folk life. His detailed and often idealized depictions of peasants, farmers, and their traditions captured the spirit of a nation seeking to define its identity in the 19th century.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Johann Julius Exner was born into a family with artistic inclinations, though not in the visual arts. His father, Johann Gottlieb Exner, was a Czech musician originally from Bohemia, while his mother was Karen Jørgensen. Growing up in the vibrant cultural atmosphere of Copenhagen, the young Exner showed an early aptitude for drawing and visual expression. This led him, in 1839, to enroll at the prestigious Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi).
At the Academy, Exner received instruction from notable figures. Initially, he studied under J. L. Lund, a respected professor. However, his most significant mentor was undoubtedly Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, often hailed as the "Father of Danish Painting." Eckersberg's emphasis on meticulous observation, precise draughtsmanship, and the study of nature and reality profoundly shaped Exner's artistic development, instilling in him a commitment to detail and realism that would characterize his later work.
Exner initially harbored ambitions of becoming a history painter, a genre highly esteemed within the academic tradition. His early works demonstrated technical skill, earning him recognition within the Academy. He won a small silver medal in 1843 and the large silver medal in 1845, indicating his promise as a young artist. However, the path of history painting was not the one he would ultimately follow.
The Influence of Eckersberg and Høyen
The guidance Exner received from C.W. Eckersberg was pivotal. Eckersberg encouraged his students to paint directly from life, to study the effects of light and atmosphere, and to find subjects in their immediate surroundings. This approach laid the groundwork for the naturalism that would flourish in Danish art. While Eckersberg himself painted portraits, landscapes, and historical scenes, his methodology fostered a keen sense of observation applicable to any subject matter.
Another crucial influence on Exner and the direction of Danish art during this period was the art historian and critic Niels Laurits Høyen. Høyen was a fervent advocate for a distinctively national art. He urged Danish artists to turn away from foreign models and classical themes and instead focus on subjects unique to Denmark – its landscapes, its history, and, importantly, the lives of its common people. Høyen saw the Danish peasantry as embodying the authentic national character and encouraged artists like Exner to explore these themes.
Høyen's ideas resonated strongly in a Denmark that was forging a stronger national identity, particularly after the Napoleonic Wars and amidst the political currents of the mid-19th century. His call for artists to depict Danish folk life provided both a subject matter and an ideological framework that Exner found compelling.
Embracing Genre Painting
Influenced by Eckersberg's teachings on observation and Høyen's call for national subjects, Exner gradually shifted his focus away from history painting towards genre painting. This move was also pragmatic; genre scenes depicting everyday life, particularly rural life, were becoming increasingly popular with the Danish public and art collectors. They offered relatable narratives, charming details, and a sense of connection to the nation's roots.
Exner found that his meticulous style, honed under Eckersberg, was perfectly suited to capturing the textures of fabrics, the details of domestic interiors, and the expressive faces of ordinary people. He began to travel outside Copenhagen, seeking authentic settings and models in the surrounding countryside. This decision marked the true beginning of his mature artistic career and set him on the path to becoming a leading figure in Danish genre painting.
Capturing the Soul of Rural Denmark
Exner's primary subject became the life of the Danish peasantry, particularly from regions known for their well-preserved traditions and distinctive folk costumes. He was especially drawn to the island of Amager, just outside Copenhagen, and the Hedebo region in Zealand. These areas provided rich visual material and represented the idealized, stable, and virtuous rural life that resonated with the National Romantic sentiment.
His paintings often depict farmers and their families in domestic settings, engaged in simple activities, celebrating local festivals, or participating in community gatherings. He took great care in rendering the details of their clothing, furniture, tools, and homes, providing valuable visual documentation of folk traditions. Exner often used local people as models, adding a layer of authenticity to his portrayals, although his compositions generally presented an ordered and somewhat idealized vision of peasant life, emphasizing harmony, piety, and simple joys.
The Amager Paintings
Exner's studies of life on the island of Amager resulted in some of his earliest and most significant successes in genre painting. Amager had a unique cultural history, partly settled by Dutch farmers in the 16th century, and its inhabitants maintained distinct traditions and elaborate folk costumes well into the 19th century. This made it a perfect subject for an artist seeking national motifs.
In 1852, Exner exhibited En Amagerkone, der tæller sine Penge paa Haanden (An Amager Woman Counting Her Money). This work, depicting an elderly woman in traditional Amager dress carefully counting coins, was highly praised for its sensitive portrayal and detailed execution. Its acquisition by the National Gallery (Statens Museum for Kunst) cemented Exner's reputation as a skilled interpreter of Danish folk life. He continued to paint scenes from Amager throughout the 1850s, contributing significantly to the popular image of the island and its people.
A Visit to Grandfather's: An Iconic Work
Perhaps Exner's most famous and beloved painting is Et Besøg hos Bedstefaderen (A Visit to Grandfather's), completed in 1853. This charming interior scene depicts a young boy shyly presenting a bouquet of flowers to his elderly grandfather, who sits attentively in his chair. Other family members look on, creating an atmosphere of warmth, respect, and intergenerational connection.
The painting exemplifies Exner's strengths: careful composition, warm lighting emanating from the window, meticulous rendering of textures (wood grain, fabrics, the grandfather's wrinkled skin), and subtle emotional storytelling. The work achieved immense popularity, was widely reproduced as a print, and became an iconic image of Danish family life. It perfectly captured the Biedermeier-era values of domesticity and sentiment that were prevalent at the time, combined with the specific national flavour advocated by Høyen.
Artistic Style: National Romanticism and Detailed Realism
Exner's style is firmly rooted in Danish National Romanticism. His choice of subject matter – the celebration of rural folk life and traditions – aligns perfectly with the movement's ideals. Technically, his work reflects the legacy of Eckersberg's realism. He employed a precise, detailed technique, carefully building up his compositions with fine brushstrokes. His observation of light was keen, often using it to model forms clearly and create a sense of calm and order within the scene.
His colour palette was generally clear and bright, contributing to the often cheerful and positive mood of his paintings. While highly detailed, his realism was often tempered by a degree of idealization. His peasants are typically depicted as healthy, content, and virtuous, embodying the perceived stability and moral strength of rural Denmark. His work generally avoids the harsh realities of poverty or social conflict that might have been explored by later Realist painters like the French artist Gustave Courbet.
Compared to the looser brushwork and atmospheric concerns of later movements like Impressionism (think Claude Monet) or the dramatic intensity found in the works of the Skagen Painters like P.S. Krøyer, Exner's style appears more controlled and descriptive. His focus remained on clear narrative, detailed rendering, and the affectionate portrayal of his chosen subjects. He relied heavily on preparatory sketches and studies from life, ensuring the accuracy of costumes, settings, and physiognomy.
Further Notable Works
Beyond the Amager paintings and A Visit to Grandfather's, Exner produced many other significant works that solidified his reputation. Et Bondegilde i Hedeboegnen (A Country Feast in the Hedebo Region), painted in 1856, captures the lively atmosphere of a rural celebration, showcasing a community gathering with numerous figures interacting.
Another well-known work is Blindebuk (Blind Man's Buff), completed in 1866. This painting depicts a group of children playing the traditional game inside a rustic farmhouse interior. It radiates a sense of innocent joy and playful energy, demonstrating Exner's ability to capture the world of childhood within the context of rural life. These works, along with numerous others depicting market days, courtship rituals, and quiet domestic moments, formed the core of his oeuvre.
Travels and Broadening Horizons
Like many artists of his time, Exner sought opportunities to travel and study abroad. Supported by Academy stipends, he journeyed to Italy in 1857-58, visiting cities like Venice and Rome, which had long been essential destinations for European artists. He also travelled to Dresden and Paris, exposing himself to the masterpieces of European art history and the contemporary art scenes in those capitals.
He also made trips within Scandinavia, including visits to Sweden. While these travels undoubtedly broadened his artistic horizons, Exner remained fundamentally committed to his Danish subjects. Unlike some of his Golden Age predecessors, such as Constantin Hansen or Wilhelm Marstrand, who frequently depicted Italian scenes, Exner consistently returned to the landscapes and people of Denmark for his primary inspiration.
Discovering Fanø
In the later part of his career, beginning in the 1870s, Exner found a new source of inspiration on the island of Fanø, located off the west coast of Jutland in the North Sea. Fanø possessed a distinct maritime culture and, like Amager, had preserved unique local traditions and striking folk costumes, particularly for its women.
Exner was captivated by the island's atmosphere, its windswept landscapes, and the character of its inhabitants. He created numerous paintings depicting Fanø life, capturing scenes in homes, at church, or on the shore. His works from Fanø often have a slightly different feel compared to his earlier Zealand paintings, reflecting the harsher coastal environment and the specific cultural nuances of the island. His presence and paintings helped draw attention to Fanø, contributing to its emergence as a minor artists' colony, attracting other painters interested in its unique character, similar in spirit, though smaller in scale, to the later, more famous colony at Skagen associated with artists like Michael Ancher and Anna Ancher.
Later Years and Landscapes
Throughout his long career, Exner remained productive. While genre scenes remained central, he also continued to paint portraits, including notable likenesses such as those for the wife of the merchant David Baruch Adler and the wife of the poet Christian Winther. In his later years, he also devoted more attention to landscape painting, sometimes incorporating figures but often focusing on the natural environment itself.
A particular feature of his later work was the creation of paintings in a fan format, an unusual shape that presented unique compositional challenges. These fan paintings often depicted coastal scenes or landscapes, showcasing his enduring skill in observation and his continued engagement with the Danish environment until the end of his life.
Academic Recognition and Honours
Exner's dedication to Danish themes and his technical proficiency earned him considerable recognition throughout his career. He received the Neuhaus Prize in 1847 for an early work. His painting Et Besøg hos Bedstefaderen earned him the prestigious Eckersberg Medal in 1853.
He became a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1864 and was appointed Professor at the Academy in 1876, positions that signified his esteemed status within the Danish art establishment. He exhibited regularly at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition in Copenhagen for decades and also showed his work internationally, including in Paris and London, helping to bring Danish genre painting to a wider audience.
Exner and His Contemporaries
Johann Julius Exner occupies a distinct place in 19th-century Danish art. He built upon the realist foundations laid by Eckersberg but channelled this into the specific national themes promoted by Høyen. His work runs parallel to that of other Danish genre painters focusing on rural life, most notably Christen Dalsgaard, who shared a similar interest in documenting folk customs and traditions with ethnographic detail.
While part of the broader National Romantic movement that also included landscape painters like P.C. Skovgaard and Johan Thomas Lundbye, Exner's focus remained steadfastly on the human figure and narrative scenes. His idealized yet detailed depictions of peasant life stand in contrast to the more heroic or mythological themes sometimes explored by earlier Golden Age figures, and also differ from the later, more psychologically intense or socially conscious realism that emerged towards the end of the century, or the plein-air brilliance of the Skagen Painters.
Legacy and Conclusion
Johann Julius Exner passed away in 1910, having witnessed significant changes in the art world over his long life. While artistic styles evolved, his work retained its popularity, appreciated for its craftsmanship, charm, and nostalgic portrayal of traditional Danish life. He played a crucial role in visualizing the ideals of the National Romantic movement, creating images that helped shape Denmark's perception of its own cultural heritage.
Today, Exner is remembered as a key figure in Danish genre painting. His works offer valuable insights into 19th-century rural customs and costumes, rendered with meticulous care and genuine affection. While sometimes viewed as conservative compared to later artistic developments, his paintings possess an enduring appeal through their warmth, detail, and celebration of a specific time and place in Danish history. He remains an important and beloved artist, a master chronicler of the Danish soul as expressed through the lives of its common people. His paintings continue to be admired in museums, particularly the Statens Museum for Kunst and the Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen.
