Johannes E. Møller
Marine Artist
Gone are the days when tall windships ploughed through the oceans. The days of long and stormy Cape Horn voyages. When the wind provided the power and the tools of the trade were horny hands, tarred hemp rope and canvas... the days of sail.
But the golden age of shipping and its intense atmosphere has never lost its appeal to those who love the sea air and salt water. It has often been said that a well-build windjammer is one of the most handsome things ever made by man. An organic object, created for intimate interaction with nature - the fine lines of the hull and the rigging´s towering canvas expressing unsurpassed seaworthyness and aesthetic perfection.
Through the ages artists have drawn from this source of inspiration. Today only few artists master the strict discipline of marine painting. Yet one can still find artists with in-depth knowledge of naval history, detailed understanding of the various ship types, and the all-important craftsmanship which is only acquired through hands-on experience and years of hard work. The Danish marine painter Johannes E. Møller is such an artist.
A number of shipping companies and other maritime businesses have commissioned work from Johannes E. Møller. His oil paintings, water colours and lithographs grace the walls of organisations and private collections in Denmark and abroad. In shippingcircles he is known for his illiustrations for Hempel´s ship calendar from 1995, 1997 and 1998. A calendar that is distributed worldwide in 55,000 copies.
Johannes E. Møller works primarily on commission, but has occasional showings in companies, galleries and shipping
museums.
I was born in Frederikshavn in 1953. The keel to my present work as a marine artist was laid in my youth at a time when I was at sea. First on board the training ship Georg Stage, later on in the merchant navy and on board the two-masted schooner Brita Leth.
The theme for my paintings are the ocean., the ships and the coast.
I am at home in historic marine painting and contemporary shipping alike. My work takes two directions. In the field, face to face with my motive, I work to a motto of finishing the painting on the spot, usually in watercolours. In my studio, on the other hand, I can spend months working on an elaborate oilpainting. Both forms of expression interest me profoundly, just as I find that they complement each other well.
When I am painting modern ships, I prefer to use light and sketchy strokes of the brush to compensate for the rigid shapes of present-day naval architechture. I look for the light and the atmosphere, rather than details. But when I am recreating a sailing ship that has been broken up long ago, I enjoy rising to the challenge of tradition and go into minute detail. I am grateful to my old ship Georg Stage for two atlantic woyages in 1994 and 1995. These voyages expanded my knowledge of tall ship navigation in deepwaters, while I keep abreast of modern shipping through commissioned work for shipping companies and naval businesses.
This brochure is an introduction to my work. You are welcome to contact me if you would like to commission work from me or just want more information.
I would like to thank Bates Copenhagen and The Mira Foundation for their help in producing this publication.
You can always contact me via the Mira Foundation by fax: +45 47 98 08 43 or e-mail: hallund@image.dk
