Achton Friis
Achton Friis | |
|---|---|
 Achton Friis photographed on the Denmark Expedition to Greenland | |
| Born | Johannes Achton Friis September 5, 1871 |
| Died | December 17, 1939 (aged 68) |
| Nationality | Danish |
| Education | Royal Danish Academy of Art |
| Known for | Painting |
| Awards | Medal of Merit |
Achton Friis (5 September 1871 - 17 December 1939) was a Danish illustrator, painter and writer. He participated on the Danish Expedition to Northeast Greenland in 1906–08 from where he created a large number of works, both landscape paintings and portraits, as well as a Written account which was published in 1909. He later published several published several comprehensive and richly illustrated works with descriptions of the nature and cultural history of different oparts of Denmark. He has also created decorative works for the Bing & Grøndahl porcelain manufacturer.
Early life and education
Friis was born in Trustrup on the Fjursland peninsula in 1871. He attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1895-99. He learned etching techniques from Carl Locher in 1900-01.[1]
Danish Expedition to Greenland, 1906-08
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In 1906-08, Friis participated in the Denmark Expedition to northeastern Greenland. His works included oil paintings of landscapes as well as numerous portraits.
Friis' works from the expedition included both landscape paintings and numerous portraits, both of expedition members and local Inuit. Another artist, Aage Bertelsen, was also a member of the expedition. Friis' and Bertelsen's works from the Denmark Expedition was featured in an exhibition at the Rudolph Tegner Museum in 2911.[2]
Friis also wrote the official travel account from the edpedition, Danmark Ekspeditionen til Grønlands Nordøstkyst, which was published in 1909 and reissued in 2005. Friis and Aage Bertelsen's works from the Denmark Expedition was featured in an exhibition at the Rudolph Tegner Museum in 2011.[2] A comprehensive excreact from Friis' and Bertelsen's diaries was published in 2013.[3]
"Land of the Danes"
In the 1920s and 1930s, Friis published three comprehensive wrols with descriptions of the nature and cultural history of different parts of Denmark. They are collectively referred to as De Danskes Land ("Land of the Danes"..
The 1200-page De Danskes Øer. Ekspeditionen til de 132 øer ("The Danish Islands. Expedition to the 132 Islands") was published in three volumes between 1926 and 1928. In 1932-33, it was followed by the two-volume De Jyders Lan ("Land of the Jutlanders") about Jutland. In 1936-1937, Friis published Danmarks Store Øer ("Denmark's Large Islandfs") in two volumes.
All three works contain ullustrations by Friis as well as Johannes Larsen. Andreas Friis and Knud Kyhn have also contributed with illustrations to Danmarks Store Øer.
Work for Bing & Grøndhal
He designed ceramics and porcelain for Bing & Grøndahl. His designs included a number of their Christmas plates in the 1920s and 1930s.
Music career
Friis also played the mandolin and mandola. His trio, Achton Friis Trio, was consisted His trio, Achton Friis Trio, was completed by Johan Tolstrup on mandolin and Frederik Birket-Smith theorbo and guitar.[4]
Private life
Friis received the Medal of Merit. He is buried at Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen. His son, Claus Achton Friis, was also a painter and graphic artist.
References
- ^ "Achton Friis" (in Danish). Gyldendal. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Gensyn med Grønland" (in Danish). Berlingske. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Tragisk Danmark-Ekspedition var også en vild kærlighedshistorie viser nyt bogværk" (in Danish). Politiken. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Achton Friis på Musikmuseet" (in Danish). Nationalmuseet. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
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