Harald Slott-Møller was born in 1864 and after training at Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, began his painting career. He received recognition shortly, and some time later he decided to take his ideas into decorative arts, too. He designed many ceramic items, but he was more passionate about jewelry.
He was one of the first jewelry designers who strove for a lot of decorative elements of different kinds, including precious and semi-precious stones, colored enamel, ivory and pearls. He used silver and gold for his jewelry, which together with the uniqueness of the garments (evry piece was one of it's kind) made it really expensive. In terms of themes, which his jewelry was inspired by Reneissance artists and their motives in painting and sculpture.
He designed truly unique garments, which weren't always accepted and liked by the publicity. He was critised a lot for using excessive decoration and many bright colors. Nevertheless, the fact that he made his jewelry himself, only taking silversmiths' help for difficult part of the work and fine settings was appereciated. It was inherited from Arts and Crafts movement, which originated in Britain some time before that.
Another life achievment of Harald Slott-Møller was founding of Den Frie Udstilling (The Free Exhibition) exhibition in Copenhagen. It is still open now and works of contemporary artists, who are less prone to be appreciated by the critics, are exhibited there. Every year in Autumn Den Frie Udstilling holds a exhibion, where anyone can take part in by submitting works to the comission, which consists of artists, who were exhibited there earlier.
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