Living in the Shadow – Marie and Peder Severin Krøyer

Marie and Peder Severin Krøyer were a 19th and early 20th-century artist couple. Although their marriage and lives were far from ideal, history has recognized them both as truly notable painters.

When Peder Severin Krøyer met the young Marie Triepcke, he was already an established member of the Skagen Painters group, living and working in Skagen, Denmark. While his wife was not widely known as a painter during her lifetime, she was recognized long after her death—even after her daughter’s death—as one of the best Danish painters of her time.

Peder Krøyer was significantly older than Marie Krøyer (née Triepcke), yet they fell madly in love and married in 1889. The painter was enchanted by his wife’s beauty, a sentiment reflected in his many captivating portraits of her.

The marriage didn’t last long due to Peder’s mental health issues, and Marie had an affair before it ended. They divorced in 1905, and Peder died at 58, just four years later.

Though Marie was a talented painter, she lived in the shadow of her husband, the informal leader of the Skagen Painters. She struggled with depression after their daughter’s birth and lacked self-confidence, which hindered her from showcasing her talent. However, she found success in designing furniture and was a successful architect for a while. After her divorce from Peder, she remarried, but that relationship also ended in divorce.

Many of the Krøyers’ artworks are in the permanent collection of the Skagens Museum, and we encourage you to see them there!

In 2012, the movie director Bille August directed a film about the Krøyers and their twisted marriage titled Marie Krøyer.