Art Museum

Statens Museum for Kunst

Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark

Statens Museum for Kunst is an art museum in Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark. 681 works from its collection are in this catalog, including Titian and Paolo Veronese.

About Statens Museum for Kunst

Overview & Identity

Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK), also known as the National Gallery of Denmark, is the largest art museum in Denmark. Located in Copenhagen, it serves as the country's premier institution for Danish and foreign art spanning from the 14th century to the present day. The museum's mandate includes collecting, registering, maintaining, researching, and handling a vast array of artworks. It functions as a central hub for art history in Denmark, holding an unrivalled collection of Danish Golden Age paintings alongside significant European art holdings.

History & Founding

The museum's collections originate from the Danish kings' private art chamber, which was established in the 17th century. In 1843, these works were first displayed to the public. The institution was formally established as the Statens Museum for Kunst in 1896, consolidating the royal collections into a national gallery. Over the centuries, the holdings have been significantly expanded through state purchases and generous donations, most notably the 1928 donation of Johannes Rump's collection of early French Modernist paintings, which transformed the museum's modern art profile.

Building & Architecture

The museum is housed in a complex that evolved in several stages. The original building, designed by architect H.C. Amberg, was constructed in the late 19th century and opened in 1896. It featured a grand entrance with a circular lawn in front. A major modern extension was added in 1993, designed by architect Henning Larsen. This extension connects the historic building with contemporary design, housing the 20th and 21st-century collections. The new wing includes a long corridor of paintings overlooking Østre Anlæg park, serving as a chronological overview of modern art.

Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings

SMK holds over 200,000 works, organized into three main areas: the Royal Collection of Paintings and Sculptures, the Royal Collection of Graphic Art, and the Royal Cast Collection. The painting collection features approximately 9,250 works, including an unrivalled array of Danish Golden Age paintings and a comprehensive display of European art from 1300 to 1800. The graphic arts collection contains around 240,000 works on paper, including copper prints, drawings, and lithographs from the 15th century to the present. The museum also houses over 2,600 plaster casts from antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.

Significance & Digital Initiatives

SMK is a leader in the international movement to release digitalized collections for free use, participating in the Open Access initiative. In 2008, the museum launched the five-year SMK Digital project to make its collections accessible online, with plans to have 40,000 pieces available by 2020. The museum also operates SMK Connect, an online educational platform launched in 2022 to connect the collection with schools across Denmark. Additionally, the museum announced in 2021 the realization of SMK Thy, a permanent branch in Thy, funded by a donation, further extending its reach beyond Copenhagen.