Laurits Andersen Ring

Laurits Andersen Ring (mostly known as L.A. Ring), captured and preserved the Danish rural way of life and culture, which he saw fading during the industrial revolution. The son of a carpenter, Ring never eschewed his low economic rank in his work, painting flattering images of peasants, farmers, and folk traditions. Never fulfilled by the rigid traditions of the academic painting practices he learned during his brief time as an art student, Ring left the Royal Danish Academy after receiving a travel grant to study painting on his own in Italy. While experiencing monumental changes during his life, including his decision to become an atheist and the death of his brother, Ring cycled through a variety of themes and motifs like doors and windows, farming, death, roads, and empty landscapes. Ring is modestly studied in art history and his work is well represented in museums, mostly in Denmark.