Caught the train to Humlebaek to visit my favorite museum in the world: The  Louisiana Museum. A short walk brought me to a long line to get a ticket. I realized that I should have bought a combo train/museum ticket; saved money on both and walked by the line but I had forgotten this and am putting it into this blog so I don’t forget again.

The museum is a gem of art and architecture set in a sculpture park on a cliff overlooking the Baltic with the Swedish coast out in the distance. 

There is a magnificent beach tree around which pivots the passage from the old building to the new building. It’s framed by large windows and is one of the best sculptures of the collection.

The old beach tree.

Sweden out in the distance.

Portrait by Gabriel Munter.

There was a retrospective of Gabriel Munter. And a extensive collection of works on paper by Edward Ruscha. I learned that Munter was a companion of Kandinsky for many years.  Her early work which seemed influenced by the fauves were my favorites with the portraits standing out the strongest. I had never seen much of her work in person so this was a treat. The Ruscha not so much but if did give his work some time hoping it might grow on me; it really didn’t but I respect what he did it just leaves me cold.

Head of Annett.

The museum also include an extensive collection of Giacometti which is well worth the price of admission. The best part is an entire room of his work lit naturally by a gigantic window that overlooks a small pond surrounded by willows. I never get tired of his work and to see so much in one place is almost overwhelming. The start you off with some tiny works behind glass because of their size – one or two inches tall. You could easily carry them in your pocket – hence the glass cases. Once past these little gems you are presented a stone platform with 6 or 7 figures all about a meter high. The are all the same but each is a unique exploration of a figure. 

Turning to you left a railing gives you an over look of the room containing a large striding an and a standing figure at least seven feet tall. Being Scandinavia there is no security and you could if you like reach out and touch everything in the room which also included a large but and a head of Annette in a small alcove. the textures he push, pulled and gouged into these works are positively luscious and it is only because I love the work so much that I restrain myself from touching   them. There are also some drawing mostly of his mother in a little room off of this room which long ago I wrote off but I have come to like them almost as much as the sculptures. Their obsessiveness mixed with restraint is a contradiction I love.

Head

I reluctantly moved on to lunch that I enjoy outside with three Alexander Calders in the foreground and Sweden out in the distance. I had a sandwich served in in the heaviest bun I’ve ever attempted to eat. It must have been 50% seeds. And while I know it was good for me it was like lead to chew.

Lunch with Alexander Calder.

Returned after lunch to admire an entire room of Asker Jorn, an expressionist rarely shown in the US. Love his earliest work the best and his brushwork is masterful.

Work by Asker Jorn.

It was of to the station after another cup of coffee on the terrace. What a great day! 

Lovely dinner with the “family.” So nice to eat home cooking after endless restaurant meals