Ernst Rasmussen (1912-1964):
Born in Copenhagen in 1912. Died in Bargemon, Provence in 1964. Educated at the Royal art academy in 1938. Pupil of Kraesten Iversen, Sigurd Wandel. Attended the school of Rannow, and the Fresco school of Risebye from 1944. Rasmussen was primarily a naturalistic artist who later was known to experiment with modern and cubist compositions. Shortly after WWII, he moved to Paris where he had a small studio near Place du Terte. During his early Paris years, Rasmussen worked under the name “ Jean Le Van” And made several series of expressionist nudes and Parisian city views. Around 1946, Rasmussen married the Spanish artist Carmen Cervera. During the late 1940s, he purchased a house at Vallauris near Cannes next door to Pablo Picasso. They became great friends and Picasso did several drawings and paintings of Rasmussen’s daughter Pia Rasmussen. Ernst Rasmussen sadly died at the very peak of his carrier as an artist. He won numerous art prizes and awards and his paintings were frequently exhibited at the French Galleries. However in 1964 Rasmussen was found dead in his other Southern France home in Bargemon at the age of 52. Cause of death was ruled as accidental. Exhibitions: The artists Fall Exhibitions: 1932-1945.Aarhushallen: 1938.Bachs Art Gallery: 1944. Charlottenborg: 1937-1958. Selskabets Have: 1941-1946.