Einar Utzon-Frank

The mobile, weather-forecasting sculpture The Weather Girls at the City Hall Square in Copenhagen
Aphrodite at the Arboretum Zürich in Switzerland[1]

Aksel (Axel) Einar (Ejnar) Utzon-Frank (30 March 1888 15 July 1955) was a Danish sculptor and professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. During his lifetime, he produced a large number of sculptures, many of which stand as public monuments. He was the uncle of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jørn Utzon.

Career

Einar Utzon-Frank was born in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen in 1888,[2] the son of Jens Christian Frank and Anna Cathrine Utzon.[3]

Utzon-Frank began his artistic life as a painter but changed direction to become a sculptor.[4] He was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1906,[5] where he became a close friend of the somewhat older Kai Nielsen. However, the two friends followed diverging paths through their creative careers, with Nielsen following a lush modernism in contrast to Utzon-Frank's clear, cool classical style which follows the tradition of Bertel Thorvaldsen.[6]

From 1912 to 1913 Utzen-Frank travelled around Europe, visiting Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Florence, Rome, Naples, Paestum, Paris and later Italy, Greece and England,[7] and many of the classical influences from his travels are evident in his work.

Academia

In 1918 at the age of 30, he was appointed a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen, a post in which he remained until 1955.[4] In his teaching, he laid emphasis on solid craftsmanship skills. He was a teacher and educator of great importance and came to dominate several generations of sculptors, including Henry Heerup, Sigrid Lütken, Janus Kamban, Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen, Gestur Þorgrímsson[8] and Douglas Bisset.[9]

Private life

He married Gerda Harriet Margrete Christensen on 4 December 1908.[6] Their daughter Grete Utzon Frank was born on 8 February 1909 in Copenhagen, and she married painter and author William Flemming Bergsøe on 21 March 1930.[10]

Works

His best-known works include:[4]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Einar Utzon-Frank.

References

  1. "Vom Bürkliplatz zur Sukkulenten-Sammlung" (PDF) (in German). Arboretum Zürich. May 2006. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  2. Kulturarvsstyrelsen. "Artist: Einar Utzon-Frank". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs Kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  3. Anette Sørensen. "Einar Utzon-Frank - Genealogy". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Einar Utzon-Frank". gravsted.dk. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  5. Anette Sørensen. "Einar Utzon-Frank - Education". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Anette Sørensen. "Einar Utzon-Frank - Biography". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  7. Anette Sørensen. "Einar Utzon-Frank - Travel". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  8. "Gestur Þorgrímsson - "Tvíund"". Exhibitions Hafnarborg. 2007. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  9. Gary Nisbet. "Douglas Bisset (1908-2000)". Glasgow - City of Sculpture. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  10. Tom Smidth (2007). "Maler Og Forfatter Flemming Vilhelm Bergsøe". Slægtsside for Tom Smidth. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  11. "Recent Lots at Auction for Ejnar Utzon-Frank". Artinfo. Retrieved 2008-09-15.