Peter Mork Monsted

Painting by Peder Mork Monsted (Grenaa 1859 - Fredensborg 1941) depicting a view of Venice with a glimpse of Piazza San Marco in the foreground and Punta della Dogana and the Church of the Salute in the background. Oil on canvas, 38 x 62 cm, framed 63 x 85 cm. Signed "P. Monsted" lower left. Mønsted was born in Balle Mølle south of Grenå, in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula, to a wealthy shipbuilder. As a child, he took painting lessons at the Aarhus Art School. He moved to Copenhagen, where he studied from 1875 to 1879 at the Copenhagen Academy. He attended the lessons of Andries Fritz, Niels Simonsen, and Julius Exner. He then began a career that would take him to travel throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. In 1882, he moved to Rome and to the island of Capri, where he was captivated by the Mediterranean sun and bright colors. Later, he apprenticed for a year in Paris in the studio of the famous painter Adolf Buzhero. In 1884, he visited North Africa, in 1889 he moved to Algeria, and three years later to Greece, where for a year he was a guest of the royal family, where he painted portraits of the royals. Before 1900, Mønsted enjoyed popularity in Germany, especially in the city of Munich. In the early years of the twentieth century, Mønsted was in Switzerland, southern France, and Italy. During the First World War, he traveled to Norway and Sweden, but from 1920 to 1930 he moved again to the shores of the Mediterranean. Mønsted can hardly be linked to academic landscape painting because he was very influenced by French Impressionism. The artist paints what he sees, often fields, woods, rural houses, and courtyards. His landscapes are the result of long contemplation. Despite numerous travels around the world, Mønsted mostly depicted pristine landscapes of northern Europe with small human figures. Very often in the landscapes are depicted: lakes and waterways, giving an even greater sense to the landscape and its atmosphere. The artist's works are exhibited in the collections of the museums of Aalborg, Bouts, Randers, and in numerous private collections.