The exhibition Plant Fever. The World on the Windowsill at Ordrupgaard highlights houseplants and life on the windowsill. It includes, among other works, paintings by L.A. Ring and Julius Exner from the VILLUM Window Collection’s art collection.
In connection with Ordrupgaard and the Hirschsprung Collection’s exhibition Plant Fever. The World on the Windowsill, opening on 3 September, VILLUM Window Collection has lent two paintings from its collection: Interior by L.A. Ring and A Girl with her Crochet Work, by an Open Window by Julius Exner, both dating from the early 20th century.
A Girl with Her Crochet, by an Open Window by Julius Exner shows a young woman from Fanø focused on her crocheting. On the windowsill two healthy plants testify to the care she bestows on them. The two geraniums originate from South Africa but are here presented as typical elements of a Danish home. This shows how ideas about national identity and global connections met and merged in the realm of the home.
In the painting Interior by L.A. Ring the windowsill is crowded by houseplants. The green plants indoor contrast with the grey weather outside. At the time, houseplants were also referred to as a "winther flora" bringing life to an otherwise dark and cold season.
The paintings are normally on display in the gallery at the museum in Søborg as part of a continually growing collection that includes both paintings and photographs, encompassing classical as well as contemporary works. What they all have in common is the presence of the window as a central motif.
About Plant Fever. The World on the Windowsill
The exhibition Plant Fever. The World on the Windowsill tells the story of how exotic and foreign plants found their way into Danish homes in the 19th century. In addition to the works on loan from the VILLUM Window Collection, the exhibition also features pieces by Christen Købke, P.S. Krøyer, Anna Ancher, and Kristian Zahrtmann.
The exhibition will be on view from 3 September 2025 to 11 January 2026 at Ordrupgaard, Vilvordevej 110, 2920 Charlottenlund.