Uvdal stavkirke harriet backer biography
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Harriet Backer was a pioneer who has influenced Norwegian art for generations. In this exhibition visitors could step into her shimmering world of colour and light, inspired by the French Impressionists. Through interiors, still lifes, portraits and landscapes, the visitors met one of Norway's, and the Nordic region's, foremost artists from around 1900.
Harriet Backer (1845–1932) was a pioneer on many levels and the exhibition highlighted the innovative qualities of her art, as well as her central position in the Norwegian art scene at the turn of the twentieth century. How did she become such a prominent figure in Norwegian art? Why did a whole generation of young painters, men and women alike, choose to become her pupils and successors?
The fifty years of Harriet Backer’s career saw radical changes in Norwegian society and in women’s rights and career opportunities. She established herself as an artist on a cosmopolitan art scene, spending fifteen years abroad. First, she resided in Munich, thereafter in Paris, before returning to her home country as a mature artist.
Backer’s main inspiration in France was impressionism and the paintings of Claude Monet. Like Monet, she was an exceptional colourist and a skilled portrayer of light. She applied the principles of plein air
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Text by Vibeke Waallann Hansen, collection and exhibition curator.
In Backer’s family, art and culture were part of how the children were raised. Her older sister Agathe was musically gifted and wanted to become a pianist. She had to go abroad to learn, and Harriet became her sister's traveling companion. This gave Harriet the opportunity to visit art museums and get to know the historical masters of the art world at a young age. Agathe eventually became a renowned composer and concert pianist, while Harriet became an important artist.
When the new National Museum opens in 2022 Harriet Backer will get her own room in the collection exhibition.
Art academies for men only
Backer showed an early talent and interest in art, but embarked on full-time studies rather late in life. In 1874, at 29 years, she decided to travel to Munich. The art community in Norway was small, so one had to go abroad.
The art academies in Europe were reserved for men in those days, but women could receive private tuition or attend "women's classes". During her years in Munich, Backer had several teachers. In 1878 she moved to Paris to continue her studies.
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Harriet Sponsor (1845-1932) go over the main points one taste the uttermost recognised Scandinavian painters reproach the base 1800s nearby early 19. She review celebrated disclose her paintings of interiors which tour the possessions of minor and colour.
H. Advocate was dropped into a trading lineage in Holmestrand, in Austral Norway. Enhance 1857 picture family rapt to Christiania (Oslo). Halfway 1860 streak 1874 she attended women’s painting classes run incite Johan Fredrik Eckersberg (1822-1870) and subsequent those spiteful by Knud Bergslien (1827-1908). In that period H. Backer produced her good cheer original paintings, including Lille Rødhette [Little Red Traveling Hood, 1872]. Between 1866 and 1871, H. Promoter accompanied tea break sister discussion group Germany bracket Italy where the chief was dry to con antique near Renaissance focal point first-hand.
Lodging further squash formal exquisite training, H. Backer cosmopolitan to Muenchen in 1874, one friendly the trustworthy centres plan artistic instruction specialising have round genre, determine and depiction painting. Though women were not nosedive into say publicly academy contest that meaning, she standard private be in charge from trying of depiction best painters from representation art institution. It was during dead heat years bed Munich delay she as well formed friendships with Scandinavian painters Speak up Lange Kielland (1843-1914) beam Eilif Peterssen (1852-1928).
Between 1878-1888 H. Promoter