Harald Sohlberg, "Winter Night in the Mountains", 1914. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Børre Høstland

Harald Sohlberg. Painting Norway

13 February 2019–2 June 2019

Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

The popular exhibition of Harald Sohlberg's infinite landscapes opens in London, the first time Sohlberg’s art has been presented to such a broad European audience.

"Harald Sohlberg. Painting Norway" marks the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth.  

Sohlberg focused on parts of Norway that had attracted little interest among other artists. With his pictures he helped places such as Røros and Rondane to establish cultural and artistic identities. Despite their apparent realism, his paintings stand aloof from time and geographic location.

Exceptional universe

The exhibition shows the range and ambiguity of Sohlberg’s art. His pictures are mysterious and thought provoking. Images of tranquil summer nights convey the beauty of nature, while at the same time arousing a sense of disquiet. His rich colours appeal to our intuitions and emotions. He explores hidden connections between the outer perceptible world and the inner essence of the human condition.

In many of Sohlberg’s landscapes the absence of people is striking, not least because they contain so many indications of human life – houses, roads and telegraph poles. The tension Sohlberg captures between tradition and modernity makes his visual universe exceptional in both Norwegian and international contexts. His themes and painting technique distinguish him from his contemporaries, but also define him as unique and enduringly relevant.

Curator for the Dulwich Picture Gallery is Kathleen Soriano. Later in 2019, the exhibition will travel to Museum Wiesbaden in Germany and Trondheim Kunstmuseum.