Link: Peter Ilsted (1861-1933)

Peter Ilsted (1861-1933) was one of the foremost turn of the twentieth century artists in Denmark.  His art expresses the essence of life in Copenhagen at the turn of the century:  tranquility and orderliness, contentment with home and family and the isolation from the political and social turmoil in the countries to the South.  He was one of a group of Danish artists known for works of sun-filled rooms utilizing subtle colors, simplistic interiors inhabited with one or more figures. Ilsted, however, was the only member of the "Copenhagen Interior School" who focused on printmaking.

Mezzotint, from the Italian mezzotinto ('half tint'), brought the achievement of middle tones to intaglio printmaking.  The mezzotint technique with its dark and rich tones was well suited to such subjects as portraits, interiors and night scenes.  No one - neither 18th century professional mezzotinter nor artist - has employed the medium more aptly or more skillfully, especially for work in color.  Ilsted found the mezzotint perfect for expressing tonal nuances and luminous highlights for his quiet interiors.  And his artistry in varying the inking and printing of a mezzotint plate in colors to achieve diverse effects is extraordinary.  The quietude and sobriety, the dappling of sunlight or lamp light over walls and furniture and floors, the tactile attraction of pretty fabrics and polished woods, the refinement of such elements create the same visual experience seen in Dutch painting.

As Theodore Donson has observed, "the muted tonalities in Ilsted's mezzotints often support a luminosity that verges on mystery.  The quiet approaches disquiet; what at first look appears to be natural and settled becomes unsettling.  For Ilsted's moment caught in time stirs within us an uneasy feeling of nostalgia for a moment passed, never to be recaptured".

Opus # Text in English (Works of Peter Ilsted. Published by Vilhelm Tryde Copenhagen MDCCCCXXIV. The list is based on the artist own notes and confirmed by Peter Ilsted himself in November 1924.)(Theodore B. Donson) 

1. Portrait of the father of the Artist. Not in trade/circulation. Plate destroyed.  11 x 8,5 cm

2. The same as Opus 1. Revised. Not in trade.  -

3. Knitting Girl. Not in trade. Plate destroyed. 9,6 x 6,2 cm 1882.

4. Old woman knitting 12,4 x 6,5 1882.

5. The Monk of Rubens. Not in trade. Plate destroyed. 13,5 x l0,1 cm

6. The same as Opus 5. Revised. The Danish Etching Society (DDRF).

7. Woman eating. Plate destroyed.12,2 x 8,7 cm 1883.

8. Same subject as Opus 7. Reversed.  12 x 8,6 cm 1883.

9. An old Peasant House  9 x 13 cm

10. Two fisher boys. Not in trade.  9,2 x 13,3  cm 1883.

11.  Evening scenery. Not in trade. Plate destroyed. 5,4 x 9,1 cm 1883. 

11.  Aftenlandskab. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben. 5,4 x 9,1 cm 1883. 

12. A dog. 13 x 8,5 cm 1883.

12. En Hund. 13 x 8,5 cm 1883.

1885

1885

13. A drummer.  Not in trade. Plate destroyed.  8,5 x 4,2 cm 1885

13. En Trommeslager. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben  8,5 x 4,2 cm 1885

1887

1887

14. A mosque, Cairo.  Not in trade. Plate destroyed. 18 x 13,6 cm 1887

14. En Moske, Kairo. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben. 18 x 13,6 cm 1887

15. Two young girls in a Garden.  Not in trade. Plate destroyed. 10,5 x l1,7 cm 1887

15. To unge Piger i en Have. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben. 10,5 x l1,7 cm 1887

16. Street scene from Stubbekoebing.  Not in trade. Plate destroyed.  7,8 x 11,7 cm 1887

16. Gade fra Stubbekøbing.  Ej i Handelen. Udsleben. 7,8 x 11,7 cm 1887

17. Scenery from Troense. Not in trade. Plate destroyed.  7,2 x 10,8 cm

17.  Landskab fra Troense. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben.  7,2 x 10,8 cm 1887

1893

1893

18. Under the vine leaves. Virginia creeper 14,3 x 11

18.  Under Vinløvet 14,3 x 11 1893

19. Chanterelles  20 x 15

19.  Canthareller  20 x 15 1893

20. At breakfast. Plate destroyed. 19,8 x 15,5 1893

20.  Ved Morgenkaffen. Udsleben. 19,8 x 15,5 1893

21. Hassan Said.  Not in trade. Plate destroyed 10,6 x 7,6

21.Hassan Said. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben. 10,6 x 7,6 1893

22. Same subject as Opus 21. Reversed.10 x 7,2 1893

22. Samme Sujet, omvendt. 10 x 7,2 1893

23. A Druze.  Plate destroyed. 12 x 8,8

23.  En Druser... Udsleben.  12 x 8,8 1893

24.  Same as Opus 23. Revised.11,3 x 8  1893

24.  Samme, omarbejdet. 11,3 x 8  1893

25. A Samaritan.  Plate destroyed. The Danish Etching society. (DDRF)  9 x 6,5  1893

25.En Samaritaner. Uds. Den danske Raderforening. (DDRF)9 x 6,5  1893

26. Bedroom Interior. Plate destroyed. A society called: The Future. 25 x 19,8 

26.  Sovekammerinteriør. Uds. Foreningen Fremtiden..  25 x 19,8  1893

1899

1899

27. Portrait of my wife. Not in trade. Plate destroyed. 14,5 x 10,5

27.  Portræt af min Hustru. Ej i Handelen. Udsleben.  14,5 x 10,5 1899

28. Same as Opus 27. Revised.13,3 x 9,8 

28. Samme, omarbejdet.  13,3 x 9,8  1899

29. Revision of Opus 6. 13,3 x 10,1 1899

29. Opus 6, omarbejdet.  13,3 x 10,1 1899

30. Descartes, after Frans Hals.  18  x 13,5 1899

30. . Descartes, efter Frans Hals' Maleri. 18  x 13,5 1899

31. Self portrait  13,4 x 12,2 1899

31. Selvportræt. 13,4 x 12,2 1899

32. Interior with two small girls. Plate destroyed. The Danish Etching society. (DDRF)  22,2 x 17,5 1899

32. . Interiør med to Smaapiger Uds. Den danske Raderforening. (DDRF) 22,2 x 17,5 1899

33. At breakfast. (Same subject as Opus 20, but a new plate.  18,3 x 14,5 1899

33.  Ved Morgenkaffen.(Samme Sujet som opus 20, men ny Plade). 18,3 x 14,5 1899

34. Knitting girl. (same subject as Opus 3, but a new plate  10,5 x 7,2 1899

34. Pige, der strikker.  (Samme Sujet som opus 3, men ny Plade). 10,5 x 7,2 1899

35. Poplar Avenue  18,5 x 13,5

35.  Poppel alle  18,5 x 13,5 1899

36. "Stampen" (Watermill north of Copenhagen). A society called: The Future. Unsigned print.  23 x 29,3 1899

36. Stampen. Foreningen Fremtiden. Usignerede Tryk. 23 x 29,3 1899

37. Playing Lady. Plate destroyed. (60 print with notes as Remarque) before the plate was bought by The Danish Etching society. (DDRF)  21,8 x 18,3 1899

37. Spillende Dame Uds. (60 Tryk (med Noder som Remarque), før Den danske Raderforening købte Pladen). 21,8 x 18,3 1899 (DDRF)

38. Mill & Tilework  16 x 26 1899

38.  Mølle og Teglværk  16 x 26 1899

39. Winter landscape, Tyreholm.   13 x l8 1899

39. Tyreholm.  Vinterlandskab, Tyreholm  13 x l8 1899

40. Plate with an Italian and a Child head. Not in trade. Plate destroyed.   13,9 x 11 1899

40.  Plade med en Italiener og et Barnehoved Ej i Handelen. Udsleben.  13,9 x 11 1899

41. The same as Opus 41, but without the Child head 11 x 7,6 1899

41.  Samme, men uden Barnehovedet 11 x 7,6 1899

42. Evening Scenery from Stubbekoebing. Plate destroyed. 12,3 x 6 1899

42. Aftenlandskab fra Stubbekøbing. Udsleben. 12,3 x 6 1899

1900.

1900.

43.  Portrait of the Father of the artist P  28,4 x 23

43.  Portræt af Kunstnerens Fader  28,4 x 23 1900.

44. Portrait of Vilhelm Hammershoi 13 x 10,4 1900.

44. Portræt af Vilhelm Hammershøi  13 x 10,4 1900.

45. Winter -22,8 x 28,2.1900. 

45. Vinterlandskab 22,8 x 28,2.1900. 

46. At Grandfather's house  30,2 x 27,2

46.  Hos Bedstefader  30,2 x 27,2 1901.

1904.

1904.

47. Evening.  Plate destroyed.  (2. Evening. (a) Etching with roulette in colors, 1904 (O/S Etching 47). (b) Etching in brown ink)  23,5 x 21,5 1904.

47.  Aftenbillede.  Udsleben. 23,5 x 21,5 1904.

1913.

1913.

48.  The same as Opus 47. Revised in Mezzotint. Numbered  23,5 x 21,5 1913.

48.  Samme, omarbejdet i Mezzotint. Ekspl. i Mezzotint er nummererede.  23,5 x 21,5 1913.

1924.

1924.

49. Ali  5 x 12

49. Ali   5 x 12 1924

50. House from Taragona   21 x17

50. Hus fra Taragona  21 x17 1924

51. A nightingale young   6,7 x 8,4 cm

51.  En Nattergaleunge  6,7 x 8,4 cm 1924

52.  The mill in Maglebraende  18,7 x 26 cm

52.   Møllen i Maglebrænde  18,7 x 26 cm 1924

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