Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen

The main themes of Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen as a sculptor were realistic sculptures of domestic animals and expressive portraits of humans in motion and emotions. She was married to the famous Danish composer Carl Nielsen (e.g. the “Helios Overture”), whose first and last name she took as her own surname. She had studied at the Drawing and Art Academy for Women and later at the Art Academy, both in København. Supported by a scholarship of the Academy, she travelled to Paris and later to Italy and Greece, where she copied antique sculptures. Her work consisted of around 1,000 sculptures and more than 750 sketch drawings. Influenced by Art Nouveau and like many of the artists of that time she was inspired by the great French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Her daughter Anne Marie Telmányi became a well-known paintress. Carl-Nielsen received several prestigious awards including the Thorvaldsen Medal and is considered one of Denmark’s outstanding sculptors.

According to the catalog raisonné, the works submitted in 1932 date from the period 1917-30. Except for the figures Dancer and Race Walker made of silver, all others were made of bronze: The three bronzes Kuglestøder (Shot Putter) date from the year 1917 and are 12-15 cm large. In the 1920s Langdistanceløber (Runner (long distance), 15 cm), 300 meters start (Runner (starting for 300 m race), 10x12 cm), Diskoskaster (Disc Thrower, 17 cm) and To brydere (Wrestler Attacking I and II, both about 13 cm) were generated. Less straightforward is the allocation of the Young Wrestler at Rest (? Seated boy [Siddende dreng], 1908-10, 4.5 x 4.5 cm) and the Woman Swimmer (? Girl ready to jump into the water [Pige parat til udspring], approx. 1910, 9.5 x 6 cm). The 17 cm high Kapgænger from the 1920s and the 16 cm high statuette Rytmisk dans from 1915 are only mentioned in the catalog raisonné as bronzes. It has not yet been clarified whether the latter is identical to the En Danser mentioned elsewhere. The work submitted in 1936 was the figure of the royal son Uffe hin Spage from 1927, listed in the catalog as Hero of Nordic Saga, which has been in the Kolding Bypark since 1932. His face and upper body are said to be based on the model of the Danish shot putter Frode Moesgaard. There is also a 17 cm high statuette of Uffe from 1929.