First Italian Retrospective of Vilhelm Hammershøi at Palazzo Roverella

Palazzo Roverella in Rovigo will host the first Italian retrospective of Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi from February 21 to June 29, 2025. Curated by art historian Paolo Bolpagni, the exhibition takes a comparative approach, placing Hammershøi's works alongside those of contemporary artists from Italy, Scandinavia, France, and Belgium. Hammershøi (Copenhagen, 1864–1916) is known for his silent, solitary interiors that evoke unease, with women often depicted from behind and domestic spaces feeling oppressive. His work has experienced a resurgence, with auction prices soaring. In 2012, Sotheby's London sold "Ida læser et brev" for £1,721,250, a record for Danish art. In 2018, the Getty Museum acquired "Interior with an Easel, Bredgade 25" at Christie's New York for $5,037,500. Hammershøi's troubled personal life—his wife Ida Ilsted suffered from mental illness, and he maintained a close bond with his mother—likely influenced his melancholic style, which inspired filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer.