Norwegian Artists

For much of its history Norwegian art is usually considered as part of the wider Nordic art of Scandinavia. It has, especially since about 1100, been strongly influenced by wider trends in European art.

After World War II, the influence of the United States strengthened substantially. Due to generous art subsidies, contemporary Norwegian art has a high production per capita.

Though usually not especially a major centre for art production or exporter of art, Norway has been relatively successful in keeping its art; in particular, the relatively mild nature of the Norwegian Reformation, and the lack of subsequent extensive rebuilding and redecoration of churches, has meant that with other Scandinavian countries, Norway has unusually rich survivals of medieval church paintings and fittings.

Edvard Munch | The Scream, 1893

Berit Hildre, 1964 | Figurative sculptor

Berit Hildre is a self-taught artist, born in Aalesund, in Norway.

For Berit Hildre, the vocation is late, it is born from his meeting with the painter Louis Tresseras with whom she lives today in France.

"I'm a Norwegian. Twenty years ago, I left my country to travel. I met Louis on Crete. I began to model the earth, just to try. I continued for pleasure" - Bérit

This exceptional sculptor offers us all the innocence of childhood.

Her delicate and graceful little girls and girls embody the state of grace that is childhood, but also its fragility.

Edvard Munch | The dance of life, 1900

The Dance of Life or Life's Dance is an 1899–1900 expressionist painting by Edvard Munch, now in the National Museum of Art in Norway.

The Dance of Life was a key work in Munch's project "The Frieze of Life".

Munch’s painting shows several couples dancing in a luminous summer night. The central element of the composition is a couple, of whom the woman is wearing a bright red dress that wraps itself around the feet of her dancing partner.

Her loose hair swirling about him, they seem to become a single entity. This couple is flanked by two other women, one of them young and radiant in a white dress, the other pale, with sunken cheeks and dressed in black. It is as if a story were being told about various stages in a woman’s life.

Edvard Munch | The dance of life, 1899-1900 | National Museum of Art Oslo, Norway

Edvard Munch | Kiss by the Window, 1892

"The Kiss by the Window" or "Kissing by the Window" is an 1892 oil on canvas painting by Edvard Munch, now in the National Gallery of Norway. It forms part of his series known as The Frieze of Life, which treats the cycle of life, death and love and was produced between 1893-1918.

Kiss by the Window artwork depicts a couple who embrace each other as they fuse into one and their faces merge into a featureless single shape.

The kissing couple is surrounded by swirling darkness with the only source of light showing through the window which is covered by a curtain.

Edvard Munch | Kissing by the Window, 1892

Edvard Munch | Summer Day, 1908

Munch began working on "Summer Day" in 1903, as part of a major commission by Dr Max Linde, for his children’s nursery room at their family home at Lübeck.

Linde (1862-1940) was an ophthalmologist and one of Munch’s devoted patrons. The artist first met Linde in 1902, and later that year was commissioned to produce graphic work for the Linde Portfolio of etchings of his house and garden and the members of his family.

In 1903 Linde published a book Edvard Munch und die Kunst der Zukunft and, alongside Gustav Schiefler, was to become the artist’s main supporter in Germany.

Edvard Munch | Summer Day or Embrace on the Beach (The Linde Frieze) 1908

Christian Krohg | Naturalist / Genre painter

Christian Krohg (1852-1925) was a Norwegian naturalist painter, illustrator, author and journalist. Krohg was inspired by the realism art movement and often chose motives from everyday life.

He was the director and served as the first professor at the Norwegian Academy of Arts from 1909-1925.

Christian Krohg was born at Vestre Aker (now Oslo), Norway. His father was a civil servant, journalist and author.

From 1861, he attended Hartvig Nissen School.

His father had asked him to pursue a legal career. Krohg studied law at the University of Oslo (then Christiania) graduating cand.jur. in 1873, the same year in which his father died.

Jon Bøe Paulsen, 1958 | Figurative painter

Born in Oslo Norway, Jon Bøe Paulsen has been oil painting for more than 35 years. Academically trained with degrees from the School of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and Norwegian State Art Academy, Oslo.

His portraits tell many stories in one single image, and his dynamic between light and dark add a “carravaggistic” feel. Jon’s success as an artist was translated into various commissions, awards🎨 and publications, including a documentary film on his life.
Jon Bøe Paulsen's fine art is dramatically deep in layers, always thought-provoking.

The artist’s work has been featured in exhibitions in Norway, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.

He is regarded by the Art Renewal Center (ARC) as an Associate Living Master.

Frits Thaulow | Pittore di Skagen

Frits Thaulow (1847-1906) è stato un pittore Impressionista Norvegese, noto soprattutto per le sue raffigurazioni naturalistiche del paesaggio.

Frits Thaulow fu tra i pittori più anziani del grande gruppo di artisti che affollò le gallerie norvegesi verso la fine dell'800, questo lo rese un pioniere ed una chiave importante per le generazioni successive alla sua.

Nacque a Christiania nel 1847 da una famiglia di farmacisti, agiati ed economicamente spensierati, tanto da permettergli di spostarsi subito ad una scuola prestigiosa a Copenaghen, dove rimase dal 1870-1872, per poi iscriversi successivamente al Baden School of Art di Karlsruhe.