COPENHAGEN.- How did Vilhelm Hammershøi create his masterpieces? SMK (National Gallery of Denmark) now presents the results of a multi-year research project which, through analyses of more than one hundred and thirty paintings, reveals Hammershøi’s working methods and techniques. The findings are now being made available to everyone on a digital platform: The Vilhelm Hammershøi Digital Archive (ViHDA).

The Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864–1916) is known for his subtle, muted colour palette and remarkable ability to capture light and space. Hammershøi’s works have received great international acclaim, yet until now no in-depth study of the artist’s working methods has been undertaken.

This has been remedied with the groundbreaking five-year interdisciplinary research project The Vilhelm Hammershøi Digital Archive at SMK, which has examined Hammershøi’s working methods and painting techniques in meticulous detail. SMK is now launching the ViHDA digital platform, making the research results accessible to all.

Project leader and conservator Anne Haack says: ‘We have examined more than one hundred and thirty works by Vilhelm Hammershøi in minute detail, compiling extensive data that reveal how he worked – not just on individual paintings, but also how he worked with specific types of subject matter through the years, and when he travelled abroad. We are very pleased that we are now able to share the collected data on a digital platform which enables anyone with an interest in his paintings to gain insight into Hammershøi’s fascinating working process.’

Research reveals unexpected changes in compositions and choice of colours

The research project was carried out by an interdisciplinary team at SMK consisting of painting conservators, art historians, heritage scientists, and imaging specialists.To analyse the many Hammershøi works, the researchers used photographic and scientific methods, including infrared reflectography, X-radiography, and so-called MA-XRF scanning.

‘These analyses allow us to see aspects of the paintings that are invisible to the naked eye. MA-XRF can map the elements that make up a painting and, on that basis, tell us which pigments the artist used. The use of X-radiography and infrared reflectography offers insight into the choices the artist made during the process of building up the composition,‘ says Anne Haack.

The studies show how Hammershøi’s apparently simple and controlled visual idiom was the result of an experimental – and perhaps at times tentative – process. Crucial compositional decisions, such as which section of a scene would form the final painting, were often taken late in the process. Elements that originally appeared in the underdrawing were painted over, and at times he even scratched into the paint layers with the end of his brush to alter the composition.

Moreover, the scientific analyses reveal that Hammershøi’s palette is far more nuanced than one might assume when looking at his subdued colours. Particularly striking is the extent to which he used the pigment cobalt blue to create the distinctive cool tones, the deep darkness, and the scintillating shades of grey and white that characterise his compositions.

A unique platform for everyone.

ViHDA offers a rich and broad overview of many of Hammershøi’s works, ranging from his very earliest paintings to pieces from the end of his career. Users can delve into some of the artist’s most famous interiors and portraits as well as lesser-known works. It is possible to search by, for example, subject matter, technique, and pigments. The platform also includes a digital tool – an image viewer – which allows users to compare and zoom in on different types of technical images.

The thousands of technical images are available to download free of charge. The technical analyses of the paintings are described in accessible, non-technical language so that anyone can use the platform, which is available in both Danish and English.

Anne Haack is looking forward to the launch: ‘We greatly look forward to having our research go out into the world and be put to use, and to seeing it benefit school pupils, students, art lovers, and, of course, Danish and international research communities and museums.’