Oluf Braren
Encyclopedia
Oluf Braren was a painter of naïve art
from the north Frisia
n island of Föhr
. Some of his works show a strong affinity to his Frisian homeland.
His paintings include portraits and depictions of public life as well as religious and mythological motives.
after having educated himself in private study. His nephew Brar C. Braren noted that Oluf Braren had never had any other teachers than books. On 25 September 1808 he married a local woman named Meete Wilhelms. In addition to painting, Braren also enjoyed studying nature and built up an extensive natural history collection.
Around 1810, the couple moved to Utersum
on Föhr where Braren worked as a teacher. There he began an affair with Ing Peter Matzen, a woman from the nearby hamlet of Hedehusum. That relationship lasted for about seven years and spawned two children while Braren's marriage remained without child. When it eventually became public, Braren lost his employment and was posted to Toftum
to work as an auxiliary teacher - at a third of a regular teacher's salary.
Ing Peter Matzen's brother Peter Nahmen Matthiesen had befriended Braren and took lessons in painting and sketching from him. As Mathiessen developed an unusual talent around 1818, he went to Eutin
to learn from Wilhelm Tischbein
. Braren accompanied his former student on the journey and it is known that he stayed with Tischbein for a week. Thus he was at least indirectly influenced by Tischbein's art as can be seen in his later works.
In 1839 Braren died in Toftum, impoverished, from tuberculosis.
Oluf Braren's life has been treated in two biographical novels: Modern edition:
Naïve art
Naïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
from the north Frisia
North Frisia
North Frisia or Northern Friesland is the northernmost portion of Frisia, located primarily in Germany between the rivers Eider and Wiedau/Vidå. It includes a number of islands, e.g., Sylt, Föhr, Amrum, Nordstrand, and Heligoland.-History:...
n island of Föhr
Föhr
Föhr is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Föhr is the second-largest North Sea island of Germany....
. Some of his works show a strong affinity to his Frisian homeland.
His paintings include portraits and depictions of public life as well as religious and mythological motives.
Life
Oluf Braren was born in Oldsum on Föhr in North Frisia. His father was a blacksmith and farmer. Aged 19 years, Braren became a teacher on the neighbouring island of SyltSylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
after having educated himself in private study. His nephew Brar C. Braren noted that Oluf Braren had never had any other teachers than books. On 25 September 1808 he married a local woman named Meete Wilhelms. In addition to painting, Braren also enjoyed studying nature and built up an extensive natural history collection.
Around 1810, the couple moved to Utersum
Utersum
Utersum is a municipality on the island of Föhr, in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The municipality includes the hamlet of Hedehusum.-Geography:...
on Föhr where Braren worked as a teacher. There he began an affair with Ing Peter Matzen, a woman from the nearby hamlet of Hedehusum. That relationship lasted for about seven years and spawned two children while Braren's marriage remained without child. When it eventually became public, Braren lost his employment and was posted to Toftum
Oldsum
Oldsum is a municipality on the island of Föhr, in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.-Geography:...
to work as an auxiliary teacher - at a third of a regular teacher's salary.
Ing Peter Matzen's brother Peter Nahmen Matthiesen had befriended Braren and took lessons in painting and sketching from him. As Mathiessen developed an unusual talent around 1818, he went to Eutin
Eutin
Eutin is the district capital of Eastern Holstein located in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. As of 2005, it had some 17,000 inhabitants....
to learn from Wilhelm Tischbein
Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein
Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, also known as Goethe-Tischbein was a German painter. He was a descendant of the Tischbein family of painters, and a pupil of his uncle Johann Jacob Tischbein....
. Braren accompanied his former student on the journey and it is known that he stayed with Tischbein for a week. Thus he was at least indirectly influenced by Tischbein's art as can be seen in his later works.
In 1839 Braren died in Toftum, impoverished, from tuberculosis.
Reception
His work was little known during his life and was not appreciated. Still in 1897 when the legacy of his nephew Jürgen Braren was distributed, the relatives preferred a miscroscope to three paintings by Oluf Braren. Only in the 20th century has his work become highly valued in Germany and the international art world.Oluf Braren's life has been treated in two biographical novels: Modern edition: