Hirschsprung Collection: Exploring the art of being free with one of Scandinavia’s leading female artists

By Signe Hansen | Photos: The Hirschsprung Collection

Nestled in the picturesque Østre Anlæg in Copenhagen, the Hirschsprung Collection offers an extraordinary art collection spanning the Danish Golden Age, the Skagen Painters and the Symbolists. This season, the museum presents an inspiring exploration of the life and work of Hanna Hirsch Pauli, one of the most significant Scandinavian artists of the period around the Modern Breakthrough.

Housed in a historic building in Stockholmsgade, the Hirschsprung Collection is something of a hidden gem for art lovers and history enthusiasts alike. Established in 1911, the museum houses Danish masterpieces by leading artists such as C. W. Eckersberg, Anna Ancher, P.S. Krøyer and Vilhelm Hammershøi – offering visitors a journey through key movements in Danish art history.

In the current special exhibition, HANNA HIRSCH-PAULI – The Art of Being Free, around 60 works by the Swedish artist are presented in dialogue with ten works by Danish artists from the museum’s own collection. “We wanted to introduce one of Scandinavia’s greatest painters to a Danish and international audience,” says curator Rasmus Kjærboe. “She is celebrated in Sweden but remains relatively unknown outside its borders. This exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to discover just how remarkable an artist she was.”

The exhibition grew out of a multi-year research project led by PhD and curator at Nationalmuseum Stockholm, Carina Rech, and has been developed in collaboration with the museum.

Set in the heart of Copenhagen, the Hirschsprung Collection offers visitors a journey through key movements in Danish art history.

The art of being free

Born in Stockholm in 1864 into a prosperous Jewish family, Hanna Hirsch Pauli showed an early interest in art. Facing multiple significant barriers due to both her gender and Jewish background, she pursued her ambitions with determination and independence.

She first trained in Stockholm before travelling to Paris in the 1880s – then the centre of the international art scene. There, she encountered new artistic movements and a cultural atmosphere that offered far greater personal freedom than she had known at home.

“She was an exceptionally independent artist,” Kjærboe explains. “She insisted on shaping her own career and travelled to Paris to immerse herself in the newest artistic movements. Even when she married the artist and critic Georg Pauli, they made an agreement that they would always remain equals in their artistic careers.”

This strong sense of independence runs throughout Hirsch Pauli’s work and life – and forms the central theme of the exhibition.

A pioneer among female artists

Paris would prove transformative. It was here that Hirsch Pauli developed the bold brushwork and vibrant palette that became central to her artistic style, influenced by the Impressionist movement and the wider artistic experimentation of the time. She became known for her naturalistic paintings and particularly for her portraits. Through these works, she captured members of the cultural elite of Stockholm as well as friends, family and fellow artists. The result is a vivid portrait of intellectual and social circles at the turn of the century.
“She is part of a generation of women who were among the first in the Nordic countries to establish themselves as professional artists,” Kjærboe says. “Many of them have later been slightly overlooked in art history, even though they played an important role in shaping the artistic landscape of their time.”

Interestingly, Hirsch Pauli rarely depicted herself as a mother in her paintings. Instead, she often portrayed her husband together with their children – a subtle but striking choice that reveals the complex ways she navigated identity, family and professional life.

Toward the end of her life, however, she began to turn her gaze inward. “In her later years she becomes more introspective,” Kjærboe notes. “Those self-portraits are quite moving – she studies herself as an ageing woman with great honesty and without vanity.”

Set in the heart of Copenhagen, the Hirschsprung Collection offers visitors a journey through key movements in Danish art history.

A treasure trove of Danish art and history

The Hirschsprung Collection itself forms an important part of the experience. Founded by art collectors Pauline (1845–1912) and Heinrich Hirschsprung (1836–1908), the museum was designed by prominent architect H. B. Storck. He created a building of timeless beauty, with mosaic floors, elegant skylights and richly decorated interiors.

“The museum blends Italian Renaissance influences with a warm, home-like atmosphere,” says curator Camilla Klitgaard Laursen. “It’s a place where visitors can slow down and truly engage with the art.”

Alongside the current exhibition, visitors can explore works by Krøyer, Ancher and other renowned Skagen painters in the museum’s permanent collection. Indeed, for those unable to travel to Skagen itself, the Hirschsprung Collection offers a rare opportunity to experience this artistic world in the heart of Copenhagen.

The exhibition Hanna Hirsch Pauli – The Art of Being Free is on view at the Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen from 18 February to 16 August 2026.

Hirschsprung Collection: Exploring the art of being free with one of Scandinavia’s leading female artists

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The exhibition Hanna Hirsch Pauli – The Art of Being Free is on view at the Hirschsprung Collection in Copenhagen from 18 February to 16 August 2026.