Peder Severin Krøyer was born July 23, 1851 in Stavanger (Norway).
He began his art education at nine years of age under private tutelage,
and was enrolled in Copenhagen's Technical Institute the following year.
In 1870 at the age of 19 he completed his studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Art. In 1873 he was awarded
the gold medal and a scholarship.
His official debut as a painter was in 1871 at Charlottenborg with a portrait of a friend, painter Frans Schwartz.
He exhibited regularly at Charlottenborg throughout his lifetime.
Between 1877-1881, Kroyer travelled extensively in Europe, meeting artists, studying art, and developing his skills
and outlook. He stayed in Paris and studied under Léon Bonnat, and undoubtedly came under the influence of
contemporary impressionists - Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Edouard Manet.
He continued travelling extensively throughout his life, constantly drawing inspiration from foreign artists and
cultures.
In 1882 returning to Denmark he spent June-October at Skagen, painting themes from the local life,
as well as depictions of the other artistic and influential people who lived in and visited Skagen during those
times.
He divided his time between rented houses in Skagen during the summer, a winter apartment in Copenhagen where
he worked on his large commissioned portraits, and travels outside of the country.
His eyesight failed him gradually over the last ten years of his life until he was totally blind. Ever the optimist,
he painted almost to the end of his life in spite of all these health obstacles. He painted some of his last
masterpieces while half blind. He painted some of his last masterpieces while half blind. He would joke that the
eyesight in the one working eye became better with the loss of the other eye.
Kroyer died in November 21, 1909 at 58 years of age after several years of declining health from advanced syphilismental illness.