Lauritz Hartz

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Lauritz Berg Hartz (1903–1987) was a Danish painter famous as one of the country’s best colourists. Born in Frederiksberg, he started art at 19 with Fritz Urschbach, a German Expressionist who sparked his interest in naturalism. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen with Sigurd Wandel and Aksel Jørgensen and soon gained a strong reputation. He suffered from schizophrenia, and from about 1935 his health deteriorated, leading to more hospital stays. He was permanently hospitalised in Nykøbing Sjælland in 1942, but he kept painting and helped found the Corner group, exhibiting with them. Many works show scenes from Odsherred in northwest Zealand. He is considered part of the Odsherred Painters and, with Corner, helped shape the group. His early work featured thick paint in portraits, landscapes, and still lifes; over time his figures became more sketchy and his colours faded, ending with drawings and watercolours. He died on 22 September 1987 in Nykøbing Sjælland. The Holstebro Museum of Art houses the largest collection of his work, with more than 3,000 drawings and paintings. He received the Eckersberg Medal in 1940 and the Thorvaldsen Medal in 1967.