Ancher, Michael (1849-1927)

Michael Ancher came to Skagen as 25-year-old in 1874. He was among the first artists who began to take an interest in Skagen, and he was the only one of the visiting artists who settled in the city. Through his marriage with Anna Brøndum Ancher was part of the local environment, and he came closer to Skagen inhabitant than the other painters.

Michael Ancher grew up on the island of Bornholm. At age 16, he was apprenticed as a clerk put on Kalø Gods on Djursland. Here he began to draw and paint in their spare time, and it led to, that he was admitted to the Art Academy in 1871. Here he met, inter alia. Karl Madsen (later the Skagens Museum's first Director), which invited Ancher to travel to Skagen.

 Meeting with Skagen was crucial to the fate of Michael Ancher. He was married to Anna Maria in 1880, and the couple had in the first year of their home and Studio in "Garden House", which is now located in Skagen Museum garden. The year after her daughter's birth in 1883, the family moved to dirt road in Skagen.

 Michael Ancher is famous for his depictions of the Skagen fishermen and, in particular, of the drama of life and death in connection with the many rescue operations, there was very much a part of the fishermen's lives. In its large shape images combined he history painting's classical compositional principles with a captivating realism.

 The first year at Skagen felt Michael Ancher often penetrated by the visiting artists. In particular, P.S. Krøyer had to hear that he went too close to the Anchers motif world. However, soon they were good friends, and Anchors the home was a hospitable hub for artists.

 Michael Ancher participated actively at the beginning of the 20th century in the work to establish the Skagens Museum, but he died in 1927, the year before the inauguration.