Magaard, Valdemar (1864 - 1937)

Biography

Full name: Holger Valdemar Rasmussen Magaard.

Born on Jan. 20^th 1864 in Copenhagen.

Initially he attended the Techn. School (Copenhagen) where he passed his exam as an architectural painter, but in 1890 he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (also Copenhagen).

In the winter of 1901 he attended the Kröyer Art Scholl (under Lauritz Tuxen) and later he studied etching in Oslo (Joh. Nordhagen).

In connection with his education, he made study tours to Germany and the Netherlands.

In recognition of his talent and work, he was awarded the Raben-Levetzau Prize (1905), the Academy Travelling Scholarship (1906) and finally the Hielmstierne-Rosencrone Prize (1910).

He debuted at the esteemed Charlottenborg Fall Exhibitions in 1890 where he also exhibited in 1922 and 1933. As noteworthy as that, he began exhibiting at the equally esteemed Charlottenborg Spring Exhibitions in 1900 where he exhibited almost continuously henceforth.

Apart from exhibiting at other prominent national exhibitions: at the(Modern Danish Artists Exhibitions (Brighton) in 1912, at the Baltic Exhibitions (Malmö) in 1914, at the Nordic Graphics Exhibitions (Stockholm and Oslo) in 1924.

Magaard initially concentrated on peasant motifs and genre pictures but gradually turned to architectural motifs emphasizing the impact of details. This interest was intensified in connection with the Danish Reunion in 1920 (where Denmark regained some of the lost areas from the Germans after the 2^nd Schleswig War in 1864). Northern Schleswig towns (especially from the west coast) are depicted thoroughly and together with interiors from old town houses (especially from Tönder) are important as cultural documents from this historic transitional period.