Artists colonies are often seen as a local or national phenomenon. However, they could all benefit from being seen in a broader perspective, as a general European movement.

The artists went outside the comfortable environment of the big cities or metropols, to find new motives, new ways of seeing.

First and foremost, it had become the new trend to paint “plein air”. They brought their canvasses and palettes out there to “authentic” rural places, and actually did the whole process right in front of the motive.

Or rather, that was the intension! Photography became a tool for some, among them the painters of the Skagen colony in Denmark.

Despite the general movement of painting realistic or naturalistic motives there are some differences from country to country. But not always! We can find similarities between colonies in different countries. In fact one colony in a particular country can have more in common with a colony (or colonies) in another countries than their own. More than similarities with their national colonies.

This page is about the artists colonies from the 1870’s to the 1930’s. Read more here.

What is an artist colony? Read more….