The Norwegian painter Peder Balke (1804-1887) has achieved great prominence in recent years. Exhibitions of his work at the National Gallery in London in 2014 and at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2017 testify to the fact that leading international museums have developed great interest in Balke. Largely forgotten towards the end of his life, today a new generation of art lovers and art historians are rediscovering the talent of a remarkable artist.
Having been born into poverty in rural Norway in 1804, he was initially trained as a painter-decorator. His interest in drawing led him to enrol at the Academy in Stockholm in 1829 (there not being such an academy in Norway in those days). His journeys to the North Cape in the 1830s first awakened in him a sense of fascination with the northern, polar landscape that was to stay with him for the rest of his life and was to influence his art immensely. His became a peripatetic lifestyle, and in 1835/6 he spent time in Dresden, where he became acquainted with the art of his fellow countryman J.C. Dahl as well as the work of Caspar David Friedrich.
Balke lived in Paris between 1845-47, and he found an unlikely client in King Louis-Philippe, who had, like Balke, visited the North Cape in his youth. Balke was commissioned to produce a number of landscapes in commemoration of the King's travels in Norway, but he never finished the series due to the upheaval ensuing from the revolution of 1848, which was most probably the cause that made Balke leave Paris for Norway, never to return. 26 of his small-format studies belonging to the unfinished commission can today be seen in the Louvre in Paris. The King had to abdicate and fled Paris for England, and the large-scale canvases which he had asked Balke to produce were never made. Since 2001, the studies are part of the Louvre's permanent exhibition.
By the time Balke returned to Norway, around 1850 the focus of his activities began to shift from art to social reform. Always a man with a burning passion for justice, he dedicated all his energies to setting up a type of commune for poor artists, known as Kunstnerlund, or artist's grove, but commonly referred to in popular parlance as "Balkeby", or Balke's town, in Oslo. Although he had given up hope of becoming a professional artist by the mid-1850s, he still continued to paint. The small-format landscapes which today form such a powerful part of his oeuvre were mainly produced between the 1860s and the 1880s.
As the eminent Balke-scholar, Marit Lange has noted, a large number of the small-scale formats were never sold during his lifetime, but what strikes us about them now is the idiosyncratic technique that he used. Many of the small-scale formats were produced out-of- doors, and Balke developed a typical style involving a very flat application of different layers of thin paint on top of a white ground [1]. Often, he would press layer upon layer of paint with his thumbs. Traces of Balke's fingerpints can also be detected on our panel, indicating where he used his hands to spread the paint.
Our painting is typical of Balke's method in these later years, drawing on his travels to northern Norway in his youth. Produced in 1872, the artist has applied clearly separated layers of thin paint to delineate the border between the sky and the water. The green grassy verge contrasts especially with the almost opaque mountain rising up in the distance. Some of Balke's work in this period is also characterised by little splodges of paint denoting birds, and these can clearly be seen on our painting, circling above the boat, placidly situated on the little lake.
The precise location of our painting is unclear. The work was included in the large Balke exhibition in Oslo in 1954, and was once apparently intended as a present by Balke for Andreas Piro (1832-1914), who was a lawyer and judge. Piro evidently knew Balke from his work on the local district housing committee, in which Balke was also involved. A signed dedication by Balke on the reverse of the panel, which he dated 31 December and was written at "Kunstnerlund", dedicates the picture to Piro in "...memory of our cooperation in the service of the community."
Whether Piro ever received his present is a moot point. The provenance of our painting is interesting: it was part of the Balke estate, which was divided up between Balke's children. The named owner of our work, W. Schioldborg, was the husband of one of Balke's granddaughters. Although the panel still bears the dedication for Piro on the reverse, it has remained within the Balke family.
Today, work by Balke is much sought after and can be seen in many leading international museums.
_____________________________
1. See essays by Marit Lange and Christopher Riopelle in: Paintings by Peder Balke (London, 2014), pp. 6-41 and 55-63. These later works were first brought to public attention again through a Balke exhibition in Krems, Austria and Copenhagen in 2008/9, where they were regarded as "...integral to Balke's achievement, indeed as its consummation" (p. 57, above).
Having been born into poverty in rural Norway in 1804, he was initially trained as a painter-decorator. His interest in drawing led him to enrol at the Academy in Stockholm in 1829 (there not being such an academy in Norway in those days). His journeys to the North Cape in the 1830s first awakened in him a sense of fascination with the northern, polar landscape that was to stay with him for the rest of his life and was to influence his art immensely. His became a peripatetic lifestyle, and in 1835/6 he spent time in Dresden, where he became acquainted with the art of his fellow countryman J.C. Dahl as well as the work of Caspar David Friedrich.
Balke lived in Paris between 1845-47, and he found an unlikely client in King Louis-Philippe, who had, like Balke, visited the North Cape in his youth. Balke was commissioned to produce a number of landscapes in commemoration of the King's travels in Norway, but he never finished the series due to the upheaval ensuing from the revolution of 1848, which was most probably the cause that made Balke leave Paris for Norway, never to return. 26 of his small-format studies belonging to the unfinished commission can today be seen in the Louvre in Paris. The King had to abdicate and fled Paris for England, and the large-scale canvases which he had asked Balke to produce were never made. Since 2001, the studies are part of the Louvre's permanent exhibition.
By the time Balke returned to Norway, around 1850 the focus of his activities began to shift from art to social reform. Always a man with a burning passion for justice, he dedicated all his energies to setting up a type of commune for poor artists, known as Kunstnerlund, or artist's grove, but commonly referred to in popular parlance as "Balkeby", or Balke's town, in Oslo. Although he had given up hope of becoming a professional artist by the mid-1850s, he still continued to paint. The small-format landscapes which today form such a powerful part of his oeuvre were mainly produced between the 1860s and the 1880s.
As the eminent Balke-scholar, Marit Lange has noted, a large number of the small-scale formats were never sold during his lifetime, but what strikes us about them now is the idiosyncratic technique that he used. Many of the small-scale formats were produced out-of- doors, and Balke developed a typical style involving a very flat application of different layers of thin paint on top of a white ground [1]. Often, he would press layer upon layer of paint with his thumbs. Traces of Balke's fingerpints can also be detected on our panel, indicating where he used his hands to spread the paint.
Our painting is typical of Balke's method in these later years, drawing on his travels to northern Norway in his youth. Produced in 1872, the artist has applied clearly separated layers of thin paint to delineate the border between the sky and the water. The green grassy verge contrasts especially with the almost opaque mountain rising up in the distance. Some of Balke's work in this period is also characterised by little splodges of paint denoting birds, and these can clearly be seen on our painting, circling above the boat, placidly situated on the little lake.
The precise location of our painting is unclear. The work was included in the large Balke exhibition in Oslo in 1954, and was once apparently intended as a present by Balke for Andreas Piro (1832-1914), who was a lawyer and judge. Piro evidently knew Balke from his work on the local district housing committee, in which Balke was also involved. A signed dedication by Balke on the reverse of the panel, which he dated 31 December and was written at "Kunstnerlund", dedicates the picture to Piro in "...memory of our cooperation in the service of the community."
Whether Piro ever received his present is a moot point. The provenance of our painting is interesting: it was part of the Balke estate, which was divided up between Balke's children. The named owner of our work, W. Schioldborg, was the husband of one of Balke's granddaughters. Although the panel still bears the dedication for Piro on the reverse, it has remained within the Balke family.
Today, work by Balke is much sought after and can be seen in many leading international museums.
_____________________________
1. See essays by Marit Lange and Christopher Riopelle in: Paintings by Peder Balke (London, 2014), pp. 6-41 and 55-63. These later works were first brought to public attention again through a Balke exhibition in Krems, Austria and Copenhagen in 2008/9, where they were regarded as "...integral to Balke's achievement, indeed as its consummation" (p. 57, above).
Boat and birds, 1872
Handwritten dedication by Balke on the reverse.
Oil on panel
10 x 13 cm
Provenance
W. Schioldborg; estate of Peder BalkeThence by descent
Private collection, Norway
Exhibitions
Exhibited at Kunstnernes Hus Oslo, exhibition "Peder Balke. 1804-1887" ; 4 - 28 November 1954, as "Landskap. 1872" (nr. 151).The panel bears the stamp of the 1954 exhibition on the reverse.
Literature
Catalogue "Peder Balke 1804-1887" (Oslo, 1954), p. 21 (nr. 151).Publications
National Gallery, London, (ed) Paintings by Peder Balke (London, 2014).
The Norwegian painter Peder Balke (1804-1887) has achieved great prominence in recent years. Exhibitions of his work at the National Gallery in London in 2014 and at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2017 testify to the fact that leading international museums have developed great interest in Balke. Largely forgotten towards the end of his life, today a new generation of art lovers and art historians are rediscovering the talent of a remarkable artist.
Having been born into poverty in rural Norway in 1804, he was initially trained as a painter-decorator. His interest in drawing led him to enrol at the Academy in Stockholm in 1829 (there not being such an academy in Norway in those days). His journeys to the North Cape in the 1830s first awakened in him a sense of fascination with the northern, polar landscape that was to stay with him for the rest of his life and was to influence his art immensely. His became a peripatetic lifestyle, and in 1835/6 he spent time in Dresden, where he became acquainted with the art of his fellow countryman J.C. Dahl as well as the work of Caspar David Friedrich.
Balke lived in Paris between 1845-47, and he found an unlikely client in King Louis-Philippe, who had, like Balke, visited the North Cape in his youth. Balke was commissioned to produce a number of landscapes in commemoration of the King's travels in Norway, but he never finished the series due to the upheaval ensuing from the revolution of 1848, which was most probably the cause that made Balke leave Paris for Norway, never to return. 26 of his small-format studies belonging to the unfinished commission can today be seen in the Louvre in Paris. The King had to abdicate and fled Paris for England, and the large-scale canvases which he had asked Balke to produce were never made. Since 2001, the studies are part of the Louvre's permanent exhibition.
By the time Balke returned to Norway, around 1850 the focus of his activities began to shift from art to social reform. Always a man with a burning passion for justice, he dedicated all his energies to setting up a type of commune for poor artists, known as Kunstnerlund, or artist's grove, but commonly referred to in popular parlance as "Balkeby", or Balke's town, in Oslo. Although he had given up hope of becoming a professional artist by the mid-1850s, he still continued to paint. The small-format landscapes which today form such a powerful part of his oeuvre were mainly produced between the 1860s and the 1880s.
As the eminent Balke-scholar, Marit Lange has noted, a large number of the small-scale formats were never sold during his lifetime, but what strikes us about them now is the idiosyncratic technique that he used. Many of the small-scale formats were produced out-of- doors, and Balke developed a typical style involving a very flat application of different layers of thin paint on top of a white ground [1]. Often, he would press layer upon layer of paint with his thumbs. Traces of Balke's fingerpints can also be detected on our panel, indicating where he used his hands to spread the paint.
Our painting is typical of Balke's method in these later years, drawing on his travels to northern Norway in his youth. Produced in 1872, the artist has applied clearly separated layers of thin paint to delineate the border between the sky and the water. The green grassy verge contrasts especially with the almost opaque mountain rising up in the distance. Some of Balke's work in this period is also characterised by little splodges of paint denoting birds, and these can clearly be seen on our painting, circling above the boat, placidly situated on the little lake.
The precise location of our painting is unclear. The work was included in the large Balke exhibition in Oslo in 1954, and was once apparently intended as a present by Balke for Andreas Piro (1832-1914), who was a lawyer and judge. Piro evidently knew Balke from his work on the local district housing committee, in which Balke was also involved. A signed dedication by Balke on the reverse of the panel, which he dated 31 December and was written at "Kunstnerlund", dedicates the picture to Piro in "...memory of our cooperation in the service of the community."
Whether Piro ever received his present is a moot point. The provenance of our painting is interesting: it was part of the Balke estate, which was divided up between Balke's children. The named owner of our work, W. Schioldborg, was the husband of one of Balke's granddaughters. Although the panel still bears the dedication for Piro on the reverse, it has remained within the Balke family.
Today, work by Balke is much sought after and can be seen in many leading international museums.
_____________________________
1. See essays by Marit Lange and Christopher Riopelle in: Paintings by Peder Balke (London, 2014), pp. 6-41 and 55-63. These later works were first brought to public attention again through a Balke exhibition in Krems, Austria and Copenhagen in 2008/9, where they were regarded as "...integral to Balke's achievement, indeed as its consummation" (p. 57, above).
Having been born into poverty in rural Norway in 1804, he was initially trained as a painter-decorator. His interest in drawing led him to enrol at the Academy in Stockholm in 1829 (there not being such an academy in Norway in those days). His journeys to the North Cape in the 1830s first awakened in him a sense of fascination with the northern, polar landscape that was to stay with him for the rest of his life and was to influence his art immensely. His became a peripatetic lifestyle, and in 1835/6 he spent time in Dresden, where he became acquainted with the art of his fellow countryman J.C. Dahl as well as the work of Caspar David Friedrich.
Balke lived in Paris between 1845-47, and he found an unlikely client in King Louis-Philippe, who had, like Balke, visited the North Cape in his youth. Balke was commissioned to produce a number of landscapes in commemoration of the King's travels in Norway, but he never finished the series due to the upheaval ensuing from the revolution of 1848, which was most probably the cause that made Balke leave Paris for Norway, never to return. 26 of his small-format studies belonging to the unfinished commission can today be seen in the Louvre in Paris. The King had to abdicate and fled Paris for England, and the large-scale canvases which he had asked Balke to produce were never made. Since 2001, the studies are part of the Louvre's permanent exhibition.
By the time Balke returned to Norway, around 1850 the focus of his activities began to shift from art to social reform. Always a man with a burning passion for justice, he dedicated all his energies to setting up a type of commune for poor artists, known as Kunstnerlund, or artist's grove, but commonly referred to in popular parlance as "Balkeby", or Balke's town, in Oslo. Although he had given up hope of becoming a professional artist by the mid-1850s, he still continued to paint. The small-format landscapes which today form such a powerful part of his oeuvre were mainly produced between the 1860s and the 1880s.
As the eminent Balke-scholar, Marit Lange has noted, a large number of the small-scale formats were never sold during his lifetime, but what strikes us about them now is the idiosyncratic technique that he used. Many of the small-scale formats were produced out-of- doors, and Balke developed a typical style involving a very flat application of different layers of thin paint on top of a white ground [1]. Often, he would press layer upon layer of paint with his thumbs. Traces of Balke's fingerpints can also be detected on our panel, indicating where he used his hands to spread the paint.
Our painting is typical of Balke's method in these later years, drawing on his travels to northern Norway in his youth. Produced in 1872, the artist has applied clearly separated layers of thin paint to delineate the border between the sky and the water. The green grassy verge contrasts especially with the almost opaque mountain rising up in the distance. Some of Balke's work in this period is also characterised by little splodges of paint denoting birds, and these can clearly be seen on our painting, circling above the boat, placidly situated on the little lake.
The precise location of our painting is unclear. The work was included in the large Balke exhibition in Oslo in 1954, and was once apparently intended as a present by Balke for Andreas Piro (1832-1914), who was a lawyer and judge. Piro evidently knew Balke from his work on the local district housing committee, in which Balke was also involved. A signed dedication by Balke on the reverse of the panel, which he dated 31 December and was written at "Kunstnerlund", dedicates the picture to Piro in "...memory of our cooperation in the service of the community."
Whether Piro ever received his present is a moot point. The provenance of our painting is interesting: it was part of the Balke estate, which was divided up between Balke's children. The named owner of our work, W. Schioldborg, was the husband of one of Balke's granddaughters. Although the panel still bears the dedication for Piro on the reverse, it has remained within the Balke family.
Today, work by Balke is much sought after and can be seen in many leading international museums.
_____________________________
1. See essays by Marit Lange and Christopher Riopelle in: Paintings by Peder Balke (London, 2014), pp. 6-41 and 55-63. These later works were first brought to public attention again through a Balke exhibition in Krems, Austria and Copenhagen in 2008/9, where they were regarded as "...integral to Balke's achievement, indeed as its consummation" (p. 57, above).
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