"The northern-most point of Jutland." a Skagen Travel Page by Caniko

Skagen is the northernmost point of Jutland. The sun shines so much in Skagen and many of the artists inspired of this and created many paintings.

The houses in Skagen were painted every year at Whitsuntide with a mixture of lime and ochre.
Local merchantes bought ochre in Flade in batches of 240-250 kilos and then had it delivered to Skagen in order to sell it. The ochre was often stored in large batches because of Skagen's remote location and the fact tjat the coastal road was often impassable. One year, some Franch golden ochre was mistakenly delivered to one of the merchants. This ochre is a deeper yellow. This story has been going round the paint dealers' shops in Vendsyssel for generations and it said to be true....

From the beginning of the 1870s, and up to the turn of the century, Skagen was an international venue for young artists. They all had in common that they, inspired by naturalism and open-air painting, sought new places and motifs, and during the course of the 1880s Skagen was transformed into an artists’ colony with room for both work and play. The artists’ favourite motifs were the fishermen working on the beaches, the tiny fishermen’s cottages, the landscape and the artists’ social life. Already during their own lifetime the Skagen artists achieved world fame at prominent exhibitions abroad.