Edvard Thomsen Furniture

An important pair of "Nyantik" two painted cabinets designed by Edvard Thomsen, circa 1923, for his residence at Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark whilst he was professor of the Academy. Produced by the esteemed Copenhagen cabinetmaker Rud Rasmussen and painted by Kai Louis Jensen. Each cabinet with an overhanging cornice molding, two long glazed doors, glazed side raised on a plinth base. Adjustable shelves inside. Cabinet makers labels on verso. Painter signed on interior of door. Rud Rasmussen has kindly confirmed via their archives that these cabinets were made in 1923. Described and illustrated in: Herculanum på Sjælland Klassicisme Og Nyantik I Dansk møbeltradition. Published by Rhodos 1988 edited by Mirjam Gelfer-Jørgensen Chapter VI page 328-334 Nyantik from 1910-1930 Edvard Thomsen by Kirsten Lading Bidsted. The furniture of Edvard Thomsen in the 1920s Edvard Thomsen and Kaj Gottlob joined the group of Free Architects together with several other architects of that time. The two architects were of the same generation and both made their most important furniture influenced by the classicist period up to about 1930 which for both of them probably also included the search for a new style. Edvard Thomsen was born in 1884 and had a long active life until his death in 1980. He graduated from the Academy’s architect school in 1914, the same year as Kaj Gottlob – furthermore he received C.F. Hansen’s encouraging medal in 1916 and the “little Gold Medal” in 1918. He split his time working on design and teaching. In 1920 he was appointed professor at the Academy, which included an apartment in Charlottenborg, for which he designed much of the furniture. Before and after the 1st world war he visited south and western Europe arriving in Greece in 1911 where he studied at Ecole Francaise d’Athene – from there he also made several trips to Italy. His studies in the two countries undoubtedly stimulated his interest in the antiquity. Thus his career followed and paralleled Kaj Gottlob’s. In 1915 at The Free Architect exhibition at the Kunstindustri museum in Copenhagen he participated with a group of furniture: a living room consisting of a low sideboard, a corner cupboard, a drop-leaf table, a storage bench and probably originally eight chairs and a couple of stools made of polished elmwood with inlays of Finnish Birch root executed by Snedkermester N.S. Christoffersen. This group was obviously inspired by the Empire period a relative light and simple style. 1920 He designed garden benches for the Park of Marienlyst Castle. They were not copied from any specific style but complimented the Castle and its surroundings beautifully. The sofa (fig.302) was located in the office of Edvard Thomsen at Charlottenborg (Charlotten Castle) as well as the four book cupboards...