Bio
Carl Henning Pedersen (September 23, 1913 – February 20, 2007) was a Danish painter associated with abstract and expressionist styles. He was one of the founding members of the CoBrA movement (1948–1951), a European avant-garde group that emphasized spontaneity, experimentation, and collective creativity.
Born in Copenhagen, Pedersen came from a working-class background and was largely self-taught. He was initially involved in leftist politics and anti-fascist movements, which influenced his belief in art as a form of free expression. He married fellow artist Else Alfelt, whose support and influence played a key role in his development as an artist.
His early works were inspired by Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, and folk art, featuring whimsical figures, animals, and abstract landscapes. Pedersen rejected naturalism and instead embraced a fantastical world full of symbolism and emotional color.
After World War II, he co-founded the CoBrA group with artists like Asger Jorn, Karel Appel, and Constant Nieuwenhuys. The group was short-lived but had a lasting impact on European art. Pedersen continued to create large-scale murals, stained-glass windows, and public art well into his later years.
His legacy is celebrated at the Carl-Henning Pedersen & Else Alfelt Museum in Herning, Denmark, which houses over 4,000 of his and Alfelt’s works.