Schwarts, Frants

Biography

Born: Copenhagen, 1850
Died: 1917

Artist: Frants Schwartz (1850-1917)

  • Born July 19th 1850 in Copenhagen, DK, son of Johan Adam Schwartz and Thora Louise Kühl.
  • Unmarried.
  • Passed away February 13th 1917.

Education:

  • As a young man he was tutored and taught by his father, also an artist. Scholarship to “Christian V Technical Drawing School“.
  • 1866-1872 - Attended the “Copenhagen Royal Art Academy” (graduated Dec. 1872).
  • 1874 - Took gold medal at the “Copenhagen Royal Art Academy”.

Travels & Stays:

  • 1878 - Spain (along with J. Lange & Peder Kroyer.
  • 1878 - Annual trips throughout Europe & Scandinavia.

Positions & Appointments:

  • 1879 - Started an “Art Modeling School” with friends August Jerndorff & Lauritz Tuxen.
  • 1882 - Contributor to the “Artist’s Study School”.
  • 1884-85 - Head of Artist Association.
  • 1905-09 - Member of the “Glypoteks” Association of National Art.

Exhibitions:

  • 1874-76, 78, 90 - Spring Exhibitions at Charlottenborg Palace.
  • 1901 - Copenhagen Town hall Exhibit.
  • 1907 - Guildhall Exhibit in London.
  • 1922 - National Portrait Exhibit in Copenhagen.
  • 1929 - National Art Exhibit.
  • 1931 - National Forum Exhibit at Charlottenborg Palace.
  • 1954 - Royal Art Academy Jubilee Exhibit at Charlottenborg Palace.
  • 1977 - Artist Portrait Exhibit at Charlottenborg Palace.
  • 1979 - Skovgaards Museum Exhibit: “Art on Paper”
  • 1982 - “A Hundred Years Ago” Exhibit at the National Museum of Art and History.
  • 1990 - Fyn Art Museum Exhibit.

Frants Schwartz was known not only for his immense talent as an artist, but for his refusal to follow suit of the emerging modern movement. He helped establish private art schools with some of Denmark's biggest artist , when the National Art Academy started to embrace the modern movement.

Schwartz was heavily influenced by Rembrandt's and Albert Besnard work, which often shows in his etching works which he did more and more of around the turn of the century. However, his main influences include, Carl Bloch, Carl Thomsen, Frants and Erik Henningsen.

Today, his works can be seen at the famous Fredericksborg Castle, as well as numerous museums and private collections around Europe and Scandinavia.

Schwartz was truly a revolutionary and unique artist. In 1880 he joined a big opposition against the Royal academy in Copenhagen and formed “the free art schools” with his fellow artists.They felt that they couldn’t grow as artist at the royal academy and started their own school where they learned and got inspired from each other instead of the classical master painters.Schwarts choose to isolate himself from the art industry and was known to be very shy and passionate about his art. His isolation meant that he truly could develop this own painting style and technique. Some of Schwarts' few friends was the artists P.S Kröyer and Julius Lange and together they traveled to Spain to paint in 1878. Later on Schwarts got the opportunity to work and decorate on many buildings in Copenhagen. His most famous work is the building “ Glytopteket” After Schwarts death in 1917, the public got for the first time a really good view of his art, and his paintings got frequently exhibited and highly admired and talked about.