Hans
Skalagard is a world renowned marine painter. He has
been described as a “living legend” by art critics.
This man is a descendant of Vikings and was born in the
Faeroe Islands of Denmark in 1924.
He began painting at the age of 8, and at the age of 14
began to carry on the family’s seafaring tradition, becoming
an apprentice seaman on a square rigged ship (such as
“County of Linlithgow” in the painting which is for sale).
Thus, he began his experiences that allowed him to create
accurate paintings of such ships.
Hans grew in experience and served on merchant ships during
World War II convoys. He survived the sinking of four
(4) ships in six (6) years of this war, enabling him to draw
on these experiences and paint a series of ten “North
Atlantic Convoy Scenes”.
Hans had initially moved to the United States in 1943 but
returned to Denmark after the war to study at the Royal
Academy in Copenhagen. In New York, he had a one man
show in 1954, where he had studied with the marine painter,
Anton Otto Fisher.
In 1955, he became an American citizen and soon after
married Mignon, who became his business manager.
In 1961, his works were exhibited at the Legion of Honor in
San Francisco, California. He remained in California,
becoming a fixture in his Carmel, California gallery,
“Skalagard’s Square-Rigger”.
He has had numerous one man shows both in the United States
and in Europe. His paintings are hung in many public
buildings. Examples of such locations include the
Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California, the Los
Angeles County Maritime Museum, the Allen Knight Maritime
Museum and galleries in Norway, Denmark and his native
Faeroe Islands. His paintings are owned by admirals
and collectors world over. He is the holder of six
gold medals for his work.
Hans spent over thirty years at sea and his paintings
accurately reflect this knowledge of sailing ships and the
weather at sea.
This painting of the “County of Linlithgow” most certainly
is alive with action in the finest expression of Hans
Skalagard’s art. Mr. Skalagard is active at this date
and currently, with his wife Mignon, resides in Petaluma,
California.
