Danish writer and translator, Ida Nyrop Ludvigsen was born Sept. 7, 1927 (d.1973). She was a proto-feminist in the Betty Friedan vein, as witnessed for this piece from 1959 that I’ve translated a little bit of. The whole article from Berlingske...

Danish writer and translator, Ida Nyrop Ludvigsen was born Sept. 7, 1927 (d.1973). She was a proto-feminist in the Betty Friedan vein, as witnessed for this piece from 1959 that I’ve translated a little bit of. The whole article from Berlingske Tidende is here on Kvinfo…

Ida Nyrop Ludvigsen worked at the Royal Danish Library, and published a volume of poetry, Modsat (Opposite) in 1966, but is better known as the original Danish translator of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. She is responsible for resounding Danish names in the Middle Earth story world, such as Kløvedal (Rivendell). Lately her translations have been roundly criticized, but they have a tone of their own that I enjoyed on first reading, back in the 70s…

The Ludvigsen household was evidently somewhat alternative in its gender structure and pedagogical tenets. As a direct result, one of the Ludvigsen kids, Jacob, grep up to be a rebel entrepreneur, who initiated the occupation of the Christiania free town in the heart of Copenhagen - and was a good buddy of Dan Turéll. It’s a fitting tribute to Jacob’s mother’s translation work that a whole hippie commune in Copenhagen took Kløvedal as their last name.

thescruffylookingnerdherder

Swedish singer Nina Persson is 45 today. Most famous for her work with The Cardigans, she has also recorded a number of tracks with her husband, Nathan Larson - including this cover of R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” (used for Paprika Steen’s movie Lad De Små Børn, 2004)…

Vincent Lerche (Sept. 5, 1837 - 1892) was a Norwegian architectural painter, who often created amusing scenes inside spectacular church spaces in his works. Here is an example, showing an aficionado of ancient art studying in great detail a tablet....

Vincent Lerche (Sept. 5, 1837 - 1892) was a Norwegian architectural painter, who often created amusing scenes inside spectacular church spaces in his works.

Here is an example, showing an aficionado of ancient art studying in great detail a tablet. The main attraction of the painting is the painstaking attention to architectural detail - derailed by the satirical intention of ridiculing the “Oldsaksgransker” persona…

Painting: Vinc. St. Lerche - Oldsaksgranskeren, 1865 (oil on canvas)

Eilif Peterssen (Sept. 4, 1852 - 1928) was a Norwegian painter, associated with a number of artist groups - including the Skagen painters.

He studied briefly at the Danish Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen, and for a much longer time in Germany (Karlsruhe and Munich).

Much of his early work was in the genre of history painting, but he quickly branched out into religious work and landscape painting (inspired by trips throughout Norway and Italy).

As Peterssen became increasingly versatile, a rift in his work started appearing between a naturalist/realist tendency on the one hand, and an attraction to mythology on the other.

His lifelong interest in heraldry led to his design in 1905 for the Norwegian Royal Coat of Arms which is still in use.

Peterssen was a central figure in Norwegian art, both as a practitioner and as a teacher. He chose to remain in Oslo despite being offered a professorship in Munich, and his impact on Norwegian art is vast. He was the first of his generation to be represented at the Norwegian National Gallery, and his studio/salon in Oslo was a hub for artistic endeavor for decades.

The paintings shown are both at Nasjonalmuseet in Oslo, and obviously part of a series using the same landscape. Both date from 1884. It is interesting to contrast the two women figures inserted in the Sandø landscape and speculate whether they reflect the rift between realism and romanticism referred to above…

Søren Solkær (50 today!) is a Danish photographer, best known for his work with musicians and singers, such as Björk, Amy Winehouse, Jack White, Michael Stipe and U2…

Here he goes back to his roots in the marshlands of Southern Denmark to shoot the annual starling murmurations, known locally as “Sort Sol”…

Danish poet Karen Stougård Hansen (Sept. 2, 1929 - 1998) published only one collection, The Bridge, in 1958 (year of my birth). After her debut, she became a teacher and translator from French This collection was quite influential and has been...

Danish poet Karen Stougård Hansen (Sept. 2, 1929 - 1998) published only one collection, The Bridge, in 1958 (year of my birth). After her debut, she became a teacher and translator from French

This collection was quite influential and has been reprinted several times, including one by Nansensagades Antikvariat in 1999 with illustrations by her husband Gunnar Hossy. The most recent edition (by Bebop, now Asger Schnacks Forlag) is from 2006, and has a cover by yesterday’s featured artist, Per Kirkeby…

I’ve translated a haunting fragment from it, about past, present and future life…

Per Kirkeby was one of the best known contemporary Danish artists, both nationally and internationally. He would have been 81 today, but died last year… Here is his canvas Portugalien (Oil on canvas, 2008 - Galerie Michael Werner Märkisch...

Per Kirkeby was one of the best known contemporary Danish artists, both nationally and internationally. He would have been 81 today, but died last year…

Here is his canvas Portugalien (Oil on canvas, 2008 - Galerie Michael Werner Märkisch Wilmersdorf)

Dorrit Willumsen, the Danish poet and novelist, turns 79 today. She is the author of more than 30 books and a past winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize for her novel Bang (1987), about the Danish writer Herman Bang. Here is her debut poem in...

Dorrit Willumsen, the Danish poet and novelist, turns 79 today. She is the author of more than 30 books and a past winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize for her novel Bang (1987), about the Danish writer Herman Bang.

Here is her debut poem in Hvedekorn from 1966, “Idyll” - or rather the first third of it. It has some striking imagery in its description of the life cycle of a couple (perhaps inspired by her life with poet Jess Ørnsbo, whom she married in 1963 and stayed married to until his death two weeks ago…)

Kaspar Bonnén, the Danish artist and poet, is 51 today. He often works with grids, spaces and the way we inhabit them. In his writing he floats between poems and other types of prose texts. He has 6 collections and a novel to his name. His art is in...

Kaspar Bonnén, the Danish artist and poet, is 51 today.

He often works with grids, spaces and the way we inhabit them. In his writing he floats between poems and other types of prose texts. He has 6 collections and a novel to his name. His art is in public spaces such as the Opera house in Copenhagen and major hospitals. He is also in museums such as ARoS SMK, and Arken.

,Here is The Spaces in You Are Building Towers, oil on canvas - 2009 (Skejby sygehus)

Swedish artist Johan Tobias Sergel was born August 28, 1740 (d. 1814). In addition to being a classicist sculptor he was also a noted caricaturist.

Here are two of those - a self-portrait of unknown date, and a sketch of a timid Carl Michael Bellman having a drink before breakfast (ca. 1792)…

Bellman was - and is - of course famous for Fredman’s Songs and Fredman’s Epistles about an elegiac drinking man…

The first electric lamp in Copenhagen was an arc lamp of a similar type as the one depicted here. It was demonstrated by the Danish General War Commissioner and Post Master General, Christian Høegh-Guldberg on August 27, 1857 at the Riding Grounds by...

The first electric lamp in Copenhagen was an arc lamp of a similar type as the one depicted here. It was demonstrated by the Danish General War Commissioner and Post Master General, Christian Høegh-Guldberg on August 27, 1857 at the Riding Grounds by the Danish Parliament, Christiansborg.

The citizenry of Copenhagen was mightily impressed by the “Clear white light” as it was dubbed, having very recently transitioned from oil lamps to gas light in the streets.

Høegh-Guldberg went on to become the chief of pyrotechnics at Tivoli Gardens and received an Ingenio et arti medal from the King. Later he wrote a large number of how to books, including books on card games and gambling.

Danish graphic designer Finn Hjernøe is 79 today. Specializing in jazz-themed posters, Hjernøe has created a bunch of colorful posters over the years. He is also the creator of over 150 brand logos, nationally and internationally, which makes him one...

Danish graphic designer Finn Hjernøe is 79 today. Specializing in jazz-themed posters, Hjernøe has created a bunch of colorful posters over the years.

He is also the creator of over 150 brand logos, nationally and internationally, which makes him one of the most viewed artists in the country…

Above is a rare Hjernøe poster for a Ben Webster koncert at Jazzhus Tagskægget in Århus, 1969

Danish actress Lisbeth Movin was born August 25, 1917 (d. age 94 in 2011). Movin was considered the last Diva of Danish film. She starred in many movies from the silent era onwards. Here she is seen in one of her signature roles as tragic heroine,...

Danish actress Lisbeth Movin was born August 25, 1917 (d. age 94 in 2011). Movin was considered the last Diva of Danish film.

She starred in many movies from the silent era onwards. Here she is seen in one of her signature roles as tragic heroine, playing the vicar’s wife in Carl. Th. Dreyer’s Day of Wrath from 1943…

One of Lisbeth Movin’s last roles was in the Oscar winning Babette’s Feast in 1987.