P.S. Krøyer
Today is Midsummer's Eve!
Midsummer is a celebration of the season, taking place on or near the date of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (the longest day of the year). Midsummer mainly refers to summer solstice festivals of European origin. Although the summer solstice falls on 20, 21, or 22 June in the Northern Hemisphere, it was traditionally reckoned to fall on 23 and 24 June in much of Europe. These dates were Christianized as Saint John's Eve and Saint John's Day. It is usually celebrated with outdoor gatherings that include bonfires and feasting.
Midsummer Eve Bonfire on Skagen Beach is a huge painting by Danish artist P.S. Krøyer. This large and ambitious work, which took several years to complete, shows not only the traditional Danish midsummer celebration, but is also a group portrait of the Skagen Painters and notable figures from the local community.
The Skagen Painters were a close-knit group of mostly Danish artists who began gathering in the late 1870s in the remote fishing village of Skagen, at the northern tip of Jutland. Drawn by the region’s unique coastal light and simple way of life, they spent summers painting local fishermen as well as their own communal gatherings. Peder Severin Krøyer, born in Stavanger, Norway, but raised in Copenhagen, first visited Skagen in 1882 and quickly became one of the movement’s most central figures. Influenced by French Impressionism and known for his earlier depictions of fishermen in Hornbæk, Krøyer married fellow painter Marie Triepcke in 1889 and settled in Skagen, where he produced some of his most iconic works—many of them capturing the brilliance of Skagen’s light and the camaraderie of its artist circle.
Although Midsummer Eve Bonfire on Skagen Beach is now considered one of the most significant works in the Skagens Museum’s collection, Krøyer himself was ambivalent about it. He felt the painting was too dark, particularly the sky, which he believed should have been brighter. While he didn’t consider it his best artistic achievement, he understood its historical importance as a document of the community he cherished.
Speaking of masterpieces ... Don't forget to check out our collection of the greatest masterpieces in art! :)
P.S. The art colony in Skagen produced some of the most important masterpieces of Danish art. Take a closer look at Skagen Painters!