On Tuesday morning, the painting “From the Copenhagen Stock Exchange” arrived at the Skagens Museum, where it will be exhibited for a year starting this Friday. The P.S. Krøyer painting, which was rescued from the fire at the Stock Exchange in April, was transported early in the morning in a secret vehicle from Copenhagen to Skagen. This was reported by TV2 Nord. Lisette Vind Ebbesen, director of the Skagen Art Museums, expressed great joy and honor in being able to house this monumental work: “It is a great joy and honor that we can take care of this monumental P.S. Krøyer painting,” she said.
On Tuesday morning, the painting was examined by conservators to ensure that it was in good enough condition to be exhibited. The fire at the Stock Exchange on April 16 triggered a rescue operation where employees, police officers, and passersby collaborated to save valuable items. Among the saved items was the P.S. Krøyer painting, which art experts have deemed the most valuable painting in the Stock Exchange. Measuring 2.5 meters on one side and 4 meters on the other, it took five to six people to carry the painting to safety during the fire.
The painting, created in 1895, is a group portrait of businessmen in the Stock Exchange hall, including the prominent businessman C.F. Tietgen. All the businessmen portrayed paid to be included in the painting, which cost nearly 20,000 kroner in the currency of the time. Lisette Vind Ebbesen has previously commented on the significance of the work: “It is a work that contains many exciting stories – both about a very specific piece of Danish business history and about Krøyer’s ability to master a complex composition with many portraits. And the painting also testifies to Danish Business’s fine art collection, which extends throughout Denmark and was fortunately saved.”
The painting can be seen at the Skagens Museum from this Friday for a year.