When French art Found a home in

denmarkordrupgaard was built up upon the foundation of the collecting fervour and love of art of a visionary gentleman who fell in love with impressionism. With the exhibition Passion for Impressionism. Wilhelm Hansen’s Ordrup-gaard, the museum will tell the story of its own genesis, and show how it all started with the dream of a perfect home – both for the family and for French paintings.

The Ordrupgaard collection first opened its doors as a gallery in 1918, as an extension to a newly-built, private villa north of Copenhagen, belonging to Wilhelm Hansen and his wife Henny. Here, the public could experience art, and in particular French art, close-up in intimate and domestic surroundings – something that was completely different to the vast, temple-like and aloof art museums that were the norm at the time. On the walls hung works by, amongst others, Manet, Monet, Renoir and Gauguin.

a passion for French artWilhelm Hansen worked tirelessly to spread knowledge of French art, both as a collector and an exhibition organiser, and by founding the French Art Association. His passion arose during his many business trips to Paris, where he became particularly enchanted by Impressionism, and through the purchase of carefully

selected works in the years 1916-18, he managed to create a collection that was completely without parallel in northern Europe.

delicate watercoloursIn Passion for Impressionism. Wilhelm Hansen’s Or-dupgaard, the story of the Hansen family and their art collection, visions and unique home will be brought to life in an exhibition focusing on the French works and Impressionism, including a series of masterful waterco-lours by Degas, which are otherwise rarely exhibited due to their fragility. The exhibition also features historic photographs, letters and the innovative handicrafts of Thorvald Bindesbøll that adorn the villa, together with paintings from the Danish collection by such well-known names as Vilhelm Hammershøi and L.A. Ring.

From home to museumWilhelm and Henny Hansen bequeathed their home with its park and art collection to the Danish state, on condition that it would be open to the public, and in 1953 Ordrupgaard opened as a public art museum.

For further information, contact:Communication Manager Maria Desirée Holm-Jacobsen, mahoja@ordrupgaard.dk, +45 3996 0292.

ordruPGaardVilvordevej 110, 2920 Charlottenlund, Denmark

39 64 11 83, www.ordrupgaard.dk

P r e s s e m e d d e l e l s e

Cam

ille Pissarro. Plum Trees in Blossom

, Éragny.The A

rtist’s Hom

e, 1894

Wilhelm

Hansen in the French G

allery at Ordrupgaard, 1918

neW eXhiBition:

PassIOn fOr ImPressIOnIsm WIlHelm Hansen’s OrdruPgaard 22 may – 9 august 2015