Thomas Kluge
Thomas Kluge | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 6, 1969 |
| Education | Autodidact |
| Occupation | Painter |
| Movement | Magic realism |
| Spouse |
Anna Helleberg Kluge
(m. 2007) |
| Children | 5 |
| Awards |
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| Website | thomaskluge |
| Signature | |
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Thomas Kluge (born 1969) is a Danish painter known for his traditional and realistic style.[2] His work has been described as "quite remarkable in its realism and control".[3] He has painted portraits of the Danish royal family.[4][5]
Early life and education
Thomas Kluge was born in Glostrup, one of the western suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. As a young painter, Thomas Kluge applied three times for the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts without being accepted. At the beginning of the 1990s, Kluges, during that period, more or less surrealistic-inspired paintings did not fit in at the Academy. Nevertheless, he soon began gaining great success in museum exhibitions, and his career as a recognised portrait painter began. Thomas Kluge is, therefore, a more or less self-taught painter, and he finds his inspiration among the classic painters such as La Tour and Rembrandt. After being introduced to Caravaggio’s paintings, Thomas Kluge has used the possibilities of dramatic light on a black background in several of his paintings.
Career
During the 1990s, Thomas Kluge developed his style, which today is characterised by its photographic precision, and he is known for using photos as models and inspiration for his paintings. However, the details and the depth, which are not possible to capture in a photograph, are some of the characteristics in Thomas Kluge's style. Thomas Kluge is in particular recognised for his portraits, and he has, among others, painted portraits of the former Danish Prime Minister and General Secretary of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, as well as the Danish Shipowner, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller.The portrait paintings by Thomas Kluge also include several paintings of the Danish Royal Family. Accordingly, he has twice painted HM Queen Margrethe II. Moreover, he has created a very well-known painting of the Royal Danish Family, which, by its revealing nature, draws remarkable attention. Thomas Kluge has also worked with the classical still life, historical paintings, and genre paintings. In these paintings, he works with the same techniques as in his portraits, where contrasts of light and dark create his recognisable style.
Exhibitions
- Thomas Kluge. Egne værker, Nivaagaards Malerisamling (2010)[6]
- Thomas Kluge. I tid og rum, Nivaagaards Malerisamling (2011)[7]
References
- ^ "Oversigt over modtagere af danske dekorationer". The Royal House (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ Weirup, Torben. "Thomas Kluge har udgivet en bog om sine værker, hvor han får dem alle med. Men er det nu også nødvendigt?". Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-05-02.
- ^ Jones, Nate (2020-12-02). "Danish Royal Family: See Thomas Kluge's Terrifying Portrait". People. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
- ^ "Thomas Kluge: Gud, Konge og Fædreland". kunsten.nu - Online magasin og kalender for billedkunst (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-05-02.
- ^ "Danish Royal Family: See Thomas Kluge's Terrifying Portrait". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ "Tidligere særudstillinger". www.nivaagaard.dk. 2025-08-12. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ "Tidligere særudstillinger". www.nivaagaard.dk. 2025-08-12. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
Further reading
- Fønss-Lundberg, Thyge Christian; Kluge, Thomas (2020). Kluge: catalogue raisonné 1990–2020 (1. udgave, 1. oplag ed.). Frederiksberg C: Frydenlund. ISBN 978-87-7216-109-9.