Art guide:
Adelsteen Normann - From Lærdalsøyri
(1848 - 1918)
Eilert Adelsteen Normann (1 May 1848–26 December 1918) was a Norwegian painter. He was educated in Düsseldorf, Germany, and settled there. During the summer he traveled around Northern Norway and made sketches. He specialized in romantic fjord landscapes, often with a small steamboat or sailboat on a mirror-like sea. Normann was the first from Northern Norway to establish himself as a painter.
Normann was the son of a farmer and merchant on Vågøya in Bodin. After working as a journeyman for merchant Koch in Bodø, he traveled to Bergen and later Copenhagen to learn the trade. During his studies in Copenhagen, his interest in art took over. From 1869 to 1873, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Düsseldorf, where he was greatly influenced by the tradition of his compatriot Hans Gude. He thus became a typical late Düsseldorfer. Normann also found a spouse and permanent address in the Rhine city, at a time when other Norwegian painters were seeking Paris.
With his background from Nordland, Normann specialized in Norwegian fjord landscapes. He found motifs especially in Lofoten and Northern Norway, as well as around the Sognefjord. On his study trips in Norway, he made sketches that he used to compose large-format landscape paintings. His fjord motifs are often characterized by steep mountains over sunny fjords and sea. Light played a major role in Normann's paintings; he was one of the first Norwegian painters to use the midnight sun as a motif. He is said to be the originator of the term "land of the midnight sun". His paintings became very popular with the German art public.
Franz Wilhelm Schiertz - Vid Bondhusbreen
(1813 - 1887)
Franz Wilhelm Schiertz (born 4 August 1813 in Leipzig; died 6 October 1887 in Balestrand) was a German-Norwegian painter and architect .
Schiertz, the son of Johann Friedrich Elias Schiertz, was a student of the Norwegian Johan Christian Klausson Dahl (1788–1857) in Dresden and became known as a landscape painter.
In 1836 he was sent to Norway to make architectural drawings of the stave churches in Borgund, Heddal and Urnes, which were published in Dahl's work on Norwegian wooden buildings in 1837.
In 1841, the stave church at Vang in Valdres was sold. After Dahl tried in vain to keep it in the country, he persuaded the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm IV to buy the church. Schiertz was given the task of supervising and documenting the demolition, transport and reconstruction at Krummhübel in Lower Silesia (today Karparcz in Poland).
In 1844 he accompanied Dahl on his trip to Norway. In the revolutionary year of 1848 he supported the instigators and was forced to leave Dresden. In 1851 he went to Bergen. Schiertz made survey drawings of Håkonshallen on behalf of JC Dahl. On 10 May 1856 he married in Selje Karen Sophie Reusch Koren (born 26 August 1832 in Bergen; died 23 March 1933), the daughter of Paul Schonevig Stub Koren and Henriette Christiana Rulfs.
He was a draftsman for the Norwegian North Sea Expedition 1876–78. He was a drawing teacher to Fridtjof Nansen and Ludvig Munthe. He was also a teacher to the young Anders Askevold.
His grave is located at Tjugum cemetery near Balestrand.
Einar Enblom - From Fjærland
(1900-1936)
Emblom was Swedish, and was born in Stockholm. Despite his Swedish origin, it is correct to call Emblom "Balholm painter". We know that Emblom stayed in Balestrand for long periods. He was, among other things, a good friend of Sigurd Kvikne d. e., and was called Uncle Einar by the Kvikne family. He was in Balestrand in the summer, and in Switzerland in the winter. Emblom died in Switzerland at only 36 years old.
Hans Andreas Dahl - Landscape
(1881 - 1919)
Hans Andreas Dahl was the son of Prof. Hans Dahl and Helene Bewer. He was born in Düsseldorf, but grew up in Berlin. Hans Andreas was with his parents on summer vacation in Norway and Balestrand. The first time we know for sure was in 1891. He then lived with his mother and sister at Kvikne's Hotel for 10 weeks. He had no formal art education, but many believe that he was artistically better than his father. In 1910 he had his own studio built right above his father's villa.
Around 1908, Hans Andreas married Lorna Bellew from England, and they had two children, Francis and Eric. In 1919, Hans Andreas contracted pneumonia and died, only 38 years old.
Hans Andreas Dahl - Landscape
(1881 - 1919)
Hans Andreas Dahl was the son of Prof. Hans Dahl and Helene Bewer. He was born in Düsseldorf, but grew up in Berlin. Hans Andreas was with his parents on summer vacation in Norway and Balestrand. The first time we know for sure was in 1891. He then lived with his mother and sister at Kvikne's Hotel for 10 weeks. He had no formal art education, but many believe that he was artistically better than his father. In 1910 he had his own studio built right above his father's villa.
Around 1908, Hans Andreas married Lorna Bellew from England, and they had two children, Francis and Eric. In 1919, Hans Andreas contracted pneumonia and died, only 38 years old.
Håkon Kaulum - From Fjærland
(1863 - 1933)
Kaulum was born in Bergen. The first time Kaulum is found in Balestrand is in the hotel's guest books in 1897. He was particularly fond of Esefjell. He moved to Balestrand and built the house "Jotunheimen", which was covered by an avalanche in 1928. This year was a disastrous year for Balestrand, with many avalanches and human lives lost. When Jotunheimen was covered by the avalanche, an original house with a lot of art disappeared. He died in Kristiania.
Clarin Amaldus Nielsen - From the Monk
(1838 - 1932)
Nielsen was born in Mandal, and is usually called a southern painter. He studied in Düsseldorf, where he had Hans Gude as his teacher. He made many study trips, and became interested in the Vestlandfjords. Nielsen is one of many who immortalized "Munkastova" in Munken. He did this in 1865. The picture is considered by experts to be one of Nielsen's best.
Aase Kvikne Bjordal - Hotel 1890
(1921 - 2009)
Bjordal was born and raised in Balestrand, and is the daughter of Sigurd and Marta Kvikne, who owned Kvikne's Hotel. She was educated at the State School of Arts and Crafts in Oslo, the Vestlandske kunstakademie in Bergen, and the Bergen School of Arts and Crafts.
Bjordal finds her motifs in the old rural environment. Techniques such as cold needle, aquatint, etching and serigraphy are well suited to these motifs. She has done many decorative assignments, and had many exhibitions.
Aase Kvikne Bjordal - Guesthouse 1877
(1921 - 2009)
Bjordal was born and raised in Balestrand, and is the daughter of Sigurd and Marta Kvikne, who owned Kvikne's Hotel. She was educated at the State School of Arts and Crafts in Oslo, the Vestlandske kunstakademie in Bergen, and the Bergen School of Arts and Crafts.
Bjordal finds her motifs in the old rural environment. Techniques such as cold needle, aquatint, etching and serigraphy are well suited to these motifs. She has done many decorative assignments, and had many exhibitions.
46. Hans Dahl - Sketches
(1849 - 1937)
After his officer's exam in 1871, D. served in the Bergen Brigade until he resigned as an officer in 1874 and decided to become a painter. D. exhibited for the first time in Düsseldorf in 1876 and at the World's Fair in Philadelphia the same year. Already then he had found a style and a range of motifs that he would not abandon later.
D. lived in Berlin from 1888, but traveled every summer to Balestrand to make sketches of the nature of Vestland. From 1919 he lived in Balestrand. At the age of 16, D. delivered drawings of various ethnological material via Eilert Sundt to Folkevennen (Letter Collection 240 UBO). These are characterized by great drawing skills.
D. most often depicts the nature of Western Norway in brilliant sunshine, populated with laughing and smiling people in folk costumes. The pictures often have an anecdotal content. D. was never highly regarded as an artist by the leading circles in Norway, but he found a large market for his art abroad, especially with private collectors. He was highly regarded by Emperor Wilhelm I and especially by Emperor Wilhelm II, who bought many of his pictures and visited him on his trips to Norway. D. was Wilhelm II's consultant on the erection of the Frithjof statue in Vangsnes. During his time in Balestrand, D. wrote several polemical writings, including against contemporary art.
47. Hans Dahl - Sketches
(1849 - 1937)
After his officer's exam in 1871, D. served in the Bergen Brigade until he resigned as an officer in 1874 and decided to become a painter. D. exhibited for the first time in Düsseldorf in 1876 and at the World's Fair in Philadelphia the same year. Already then he had found a style and a range of motifs that he would not abandon later.
D. lived in Berlin from 1888, but traveled every summer to Balestrand to make sketches of the nature of Vestland. From 1919 he lived in Balestrand. At the age of 16, D. delivered drawings of various ethnological material via Eilert Sundt to Folkevennen (Letter Collection 240 UBO). These are characterized by great drawing skills.
D. most often depicts the nature of Western Norway in brilliant sunshine, populated with laughing and smiling people in folk costumes. The pictures often have an anecdotal content. D. was never highly regarded as an artist by the leading circles in Norway, but he found a large market for his art abroad, especially with private collectors. He was highly regarded by Emperor Wilhelm I and especially by Emperor Wilhelm II, who bought many of his pictures and visited him on his trips to Norway. D. was Wilhelm II's consultant on the erection of the Frithjof statue in Vangsnes. During his time in Balestrand, D. wrote several polemical writings, including against contemporary art.
48. Johannes Johannessen - Esefjella
(1859 - 1929)
Johannessen was born in Bergen, but after he built his house here in Balestrand, he lived here most of the time. He built perhaps the most beautiful villa here in Balestrand. After all, Johannessen had no formal education as a painter.
In Balestrand he left behind many paintings, which are highly appreciated. Due to his association with Adelsten Normann and Hans Dahl, there was an active artistic community here at the beginning of this century. He died in Balestrand at the age of 67, and was buried at Tjugum church.
Johannes Grimelund - Fruit flower with Rambera in the background
(1842 - 1917)
G. had attended J.Fr. Eckersberg's painting school during his studies, but it was not until a recreational trip to Italy in 1869–70 that he seriously considered becoming an artist. During his downfall, he spent a couple of months with Gude in Karlsruhe, copied two of his watercolours, and was encouraged by Gude. In the summer of 1871 he painted studies in Fåberg in Gudbrandsdalen (Skuronn in Bergen Billedgalleri), then gave up his teaching position and went to Karlsruhe in the autumn at Gude's invitation. In the winter of 1871–72 he drew at the Academy of Fine Arts there. He wanted to train as both a figure and landscape painter, but soon decided on the latter. In the summers he went on study trips to the Black Forest (1872), together with Gude on Snarøya outside Sandvika (1873), and in 1875 and -76 in Bohuslän. In 1872 he made his debut in the Christiania Kunstforening with two landscapes. Initially, the motifs were often Norwegian summer moods with birch forests, as well as German motifs, popular themes that he sold to art societies in Christiania, Bergen, Trondheim, Stockholm and Karlsruhe. With Morning in the Birch Forest (1875) he won his first official recognition, a silver medal at the exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. These youthful pictures are strongly influenced by Gude's school. After moving to Paris in 1875, his landscapes soon became popular there as well.
