Johan Christian Dahl
Encyclopedia
Johan Christian Claussen Dahl (February 24, 1788 – October 14, 1857), often known as was a Norwegian
landscape painter, who was connected to the Norwegian romantic nationalism
. He is often considered have been "the father of Norwegian landscape painting".
in 1811 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Christian August Lorentzen
was his teacher, while Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
and the poetic landscapes of Jens Juel
were other influences on young Dahl.
In the autumn of 1818, Dahl left Copenhagen. His intention was to go on a study tour to the most important cultural centers in Europe. One of his stops was Dresden
, where he moved in artistic circles. In the summer of 1820 he traveled to Rome
and Naples
, returning in 1821 to settle permanently in Dresden. He married and settled in Dresden but made several trips back to Norway
to gather inspiration for his paintings.
, Johan Christian Dahl began his artistic career as a professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1824. Among his students were Norwegian artists Peder Balke
and Knud Bull
. He was active mostly in this city but gathered his subject material from the landscape of his home country. Together with Caspar David Friedrich
and Carl Gustav Carus
, he would become one of the Dresden painters of the period who exerted a decisive influence on German Romantic painting.
J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century. His Romantic yet naturalistic interpretations of Norwegian scenery aroused interest in Norway on the European Continent, where Dahl himself was highly esteemed, particularly in Denmark and Germany. Dahl made frequent visits to Norway. In 1826 he went on a long study tour in Norway, his first visit there since leaving the country in 1811. Dahl visited Norway again in 1834, 1839, 1844 and 1850, and was thus able to expand the range of his Norwegian subject-matter. Dahl was active in promoting the preservation of historic monuments in Norway and was a founder of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
In 1836, Dahl was also among the founding fathers of the National Gallery of Norway (Norwegian: Nasjongallerietand) now the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and donated his own art collection to the institution. Jointly with Johan Sebastian Welhaven
, Frederik Stang
and Henrik Heftye
, he founded also the Art Society in Oslo (Norwegian: Oslo Kunstforening
.
and St. Olav
bestowed on him by the King of Norway
and Sweden
.
, notably a large picture titled Norway and Storm at Sea. The Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen, Norway contains several of his more prominent works including: Måbødalen (1851), Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836), Hjelle i Valdres (1850), Lysekloster (1827), Stedje i Sogn (1836) and Bjerk i storm (1849).
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design - The National Gallery, Oslo has a large collection of his works including: Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827), Castellammare (1828), Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832), Hellefoss (1838), Fra Stalheim (1842), Fra Fortundalen (1842) and Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851) .
landscape painter, who was connected to the Norwegian romantic nationalism
. He is often considered have been "the father of Norwegian landscape painting".
in 1811 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Christian August Lorentzen
was his teacher, while Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
and the poetic landscapes of Jens Juel
were other influences on young Dahl.
In the autumn of 1818, Dahl left Copenhagen. His intention was to go on a study tour to the most important cultural centers in Europe. One of his stops was Dresden
, where he moved in artistic circles. In the summer of 1820 he traveled to Rome
and Naples
, returning in 1821 to settle permanently in Dresden. He married and settled in Dresden but made several trips back to Norway
to gather inspiration for his paintings.
, Johan Christian Dahl began his artistic career as a professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1824. Among his students were Norwegian artists Peder Balke
and Knud Bull
. He was active mostly in this city but gathered his subject material from the landscape of his home country. Together with Caspar David Friedrich
and Carl Gustav Carus
, he would become one of the Dresden painters of the period who exerted a decisive influence on German Romantic painting.
J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century. His Romantic yet naturalistic interpretations of Norwegian scenery aroused interest in Norway on the European Continent, where Dahl himself was highly esteemed, particularly in Denmark and Germany. Dahl made frequent visits to Norway. In 1826 he went on a long study tour in Norway, his first visit there since leaving the country in 1811. Dahl visited Norway again in 1834, 1839, 1844 and 1850, and was thus able to expand the range of his Norwegian subject-matter. Dahl was active in promoting the preservation of historic monuments in Norway and was a founder of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
In 1836, Dahl was also among the founding fathers of the National Gallery of Norway (Norwegian: Nasjongallerietand) now the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and donated his own art collection to the institution. Jointly with Johan Sebastian Welhaven
, Frederik Stang
and Henrik Heftye
, he founded also the Art Society in Oslo (Norwegian: Oslo Kunstforening
.
and St. Olav
bestowed on him by the King of Norway
and Sweden
.
, notably a large picture titled Norway and Storm at Sea. The Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen, Norway contains several of his more prominent works including: Måbødalen (1851), Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836), Hjelle i Valdres (1850), Lysekloster (1827), Stedje i Sogn (1836) and Bjerk i storm (1849).
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design - The National Gallery, Oslo has a large collection of his works including: Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827), Castellammare (1828), Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832), Hellefoss (1838), Fra Stalheim (1842), Fra Fortundalen (1842) and Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851) .
landscape painter, who was connected to the Norwegian romantic nationalism
. He is often considered have been "the father of Norwegian landscape painting".
in 1811 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Christian August Lorentzen
was his teacher, while Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
and the poetic landscapes of Jens Juel
were other influences on young Dahl.
In the autumn of 1818, Dahl left Copenhagen. His intention was to go on a study tour to the most important cultural centers in Europe. One of his stops was Dresden
, where he moved in artistic circles. In the summer of 1820 he traveled to Rome
and Naples
, returning in 1821 to settle permanently in Dresden. He married and settled in Dresden but made several trips back to Norway
to gather inspiration for his paintings.
, Johan Christian Dahl began his artistic career as a professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1824. Among his students were Norwegian artists Peder Balke
and Knud Bull
. He was active mostly in this city but gathered his subject material from the landscape of his home country. Together with Caspar David Friedrich
and Carl Gustav Carus
, he would become one of the Dresden painters of the period who exerted a decisive influence on German Romantic painting.
J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century. His Romantic yet naturalistic interpretations of Norwegian scenery aroused interest in Norway on the European Continent, where Dahl himself was highly esteemed, particularly in Denmark and Germany. Dahl made frequent visits to Norway. In 1826 he went on a long study tour in Norway, his first visit there since leaving the country in 1811. Dahl visited Norway again in 1834, 1839, 1844 and 1850, and was thus able to expand the range of his Norwegian subject-matter. Dahl was active in promoting the preservation of historic monuments in Norway and was a founder of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
In 1836, Dahl was also among the founding fathers of the National Gallery of Norway (Norwegian: Nasjongallerietand) now the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and donated his own art collection to the institution. Jointly with Johan Sebastian Welhaven
, Frederik Stang
and Henrik Heftye
, he founded also the Art Society in Oslo (Norwegian: Oslo Kunstforening
.
and St. Olav
bestowed on him by the King of Norway
and Sweden
.
, notably a large picture titled Norway and Storm at Sea. The Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen, Norway contains several of his more prominent works including: Måbødalen (1851), Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836), Hjelle i Valdres (1850), Lysekloster (1827), Stedje i Sogn (1836) and Bjerk i storm (1849).
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design - The National Gallery, Oslo has a large collection of his works including: Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827), Castellammare (1828), Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832), Hellefoss (1838), Fra Stalheim (1842), Fra Fortundalen (1842) and Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851) .
File:Frederiksborg Slot 1814 by J.C. Dahl.jpg| Frederiksborg Slot (1814)
Image:Dahl.I.C.1820.jpg| Avaldsnes Church (1820)
File:Trolltindene 1823.jpg| Trolltindene (1823)
Image:Johan Christian Dahl - Megalith Grave in Winter.JPG| Megalith Grave in Winter (1824-25)
Image:I.C.Dahl Vesuv.jpg| Outbreak of the Vesuvius (1826)
File:Indsejlingen til København )J. C. Dahl).jpg|Entrance to Copenhagen, (1830)
Image:Johan Christian Claussen Dahl 002.jpg| Gewitterstimmung bei Dresden (1830)
Image:ICDahl, Skibbrudd.jpg| Shipwreck on the Coast of Norway (1832)
File:Watzmann 1835.jpg| Watzmann (1835)
Image:Johan Christian Claussen Dahl 003.jpg| Lyshornet near Bergen (1836)
Image:ICDahl, Bjerk i storm.jpg| Bjerk i storm (1836)
File:Dahl-Stalheim.jpg| Stalheim (1842)
Image:Frogner Manor by I. C. Dahl for Benjamin Wegner.jpg| Frogner Manor (1842)
Image:DahlHolmestrand.jpg|Holmestrand (1843)
Image:Dahl - Copenhagen Harbour by Moonlight.jpg| Copenhagen Harbour by Moonlight (1846)
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
landscape painter, who was connected to the Norwegian romantic nationalism
Norwegian romantic nationalism
Norwegian romantic nationalism was a movement in Norway between 1840 and 1867 in art, literature, and popular culture that emphasized the aesthetics of Norwegian nature and the uniqueness of the Norwegian national identity...
. He is often considered have been "the father of Norwegian landscape painting".
Background
Born the son of a fisherman in Bergen, Norway, Dahl's first training was as a decorative artist in his native city. A group of well-to-do citizens collected money which enabled him to travel to CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1811 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Christian August Lorentzen
Christian August Lorentzen
Christian August Lorentzen was a Danish painter. He was the instructor of Martinus Rørbye.-Biography:Christian August Lorentzen was born on 10 August 1749 as the son of a watchmaker. He arrived in Copenhagen around 1771 where he frequented the Royal Academy of Fine Arts but it is unclear whether...
was his teacher, while Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Duchy of Schleswig , to Henrik Vilhelm Eckersberg, painter and carpenter, and Ingeborg Nielsdatter...
and the poetic landscapes of Jens Juel
Jens Juel (painter)
Jens Juel was a Danish painter, primarily known for his many portraits, of which the largest collection is on display at Frederiksborg Castle.-Early life and career:...
were other influences on young Dahl.
In the autumn of 1818, Dahl left Copenhagen. His intention was to go on a study tour to the most important cultural centers in Europe. One of his stops was Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, where he moved in artistic circles. In the summer of 1820 he traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, returning in 1821 to settle permanently in Dresden. He married and settled in Dresden but made several trips back to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to gather inspiration for his paintings.
Career
During his 7 years in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Johan Christian Dahl began his artistic career as a professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1824. Among his students were Norwegian artists Peder Balke
Peder Balke
Peder Balke was a Norwegian painter. He was known for portraying the nature of Norway in a positive manner and influenced a dramatic and romantic view of Norwegian landscape.-Biography:...
and Knud Bull
Knud Bull
Knud Geelmuyden Bull was a Norwegian painter and counterfeiter. He was convicted for delivering equipment for printing false bank notes, and was deported from Great Britain to Australia in 1846...
. He was active mostly in this city but gathered his subject material from the landscape of his home country. Together with Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
and Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus was a German physiologist and painter, born at Leipzig.A friend of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, he was a many-sided man: a doctor, a naturalist, a scientist and a psychologist and an advocate of the theory that health of body and mind depends on the equipoise of antagonistic...
, he would become one of the Dresden painters of the period who exerted a decisive influence on German Romantic painting.
J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century. His Romantic yet naturalistic interpretations of Norwegian scenery aroused interest in Norway on the European Continent, where Dahl himself was highly esteemed, particularly in Denmark and Germany. Dahl made frequent visits to Norway. In 1826 he went on a long study tour in Norway, his first visit there since leaving the country in 1811. Dahl visited Norway again in 1834, 1839, 1844 and 1850, and was thus able to expand the range of his Norwegian subject-matter. Dahl was active in promoting the preservation of historic monuments in Norway and was a founder of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
In 1836, Dahl was also among the founding fathers of the National Gallery of Norway (Norwegian: Nasjongallerietand) now the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and donated his own art collection to the institution. Jointly with Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven was a Norwegian author, poet, critic and art theorist.-Background:...
, Frederik Stang
Frederik Stang
Frederik Stang was a Norwegian lawyer, public servant, and politician who served as Norway's first prime minister....
and Henrik Heftye
Henrik Heftye
Henrik Thomassen Heftye was a Norwegian businessman.-Personal life:He was born in Christiania as the son of merchant Thomas Johannessen Heftye and his wife Katharina Tschudi . He did not marry, but through his sister Betha he was a brother-in-law of ship-owner Mogens Thorsen...
, he founded also the Art Society in Oslo (Norwegian: Oslo Kunstforening
Oslo Kunstforening
Oslo Kunstforening is an art gallery and art society located in Oslo, Norway.Oslo Kunstforening is located at Rådhusgata 19. The gallery, situated in one of the oldest houses in the Kvadraturen area, is the oldest artist gallery in Oslo. During the year, many varied shows are organized within the...
.
Personal life
Dahl was married twice. In 1820, he married Dorothea Franzisca Friederike Emilie von Block (1801-1827). Emilie Dahl died in childbirth in 1827. Following the death of his first wife, Dahl became married in 1830 to his art student Amalie von Bassewitz (1794-1830). Amalie died in childbirth later that year. Dahl died in Dresden, Germany. In 1902, a statue of Dahl by Norwegian sculptor Ambrosia Tønnesen (1859-1948), was erected on the facade of the Vestlandske kunstindustrimuseum in Bergen. In 1934, his remains brought back to Norway and buried in the cemetery of St. Jacob's Church (Sankt Jakob kirke) in Bergen.Honors
Dahl had the both the Orders of VasaHouse of Vasa
The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden 1523-1654 and of Poland 1587-1668. It originated from a noble family in Uppland of which several members had high offices during the 15th century....
and St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is a Norwegian order of chivalry that was instituted by King Oscar I of Norway and Sweden on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821...
bestowed on him by the King of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
- Order of VasaOrder of VasaThe Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
(1839) - Order of Dannebrog (1840)
- Order of St. Olav (1847)
Notable works
Many of his works may be seen in DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, notably a large picture titled Norway and Storm at Sea. The Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen, Norway contains several of his more prominent works including: Måbødalen (1851), Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836), Hjelle i Valdres (1850), Lysekloster (1827), Stedje i Sogn (1836) and Bjerk i storm (1849).
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design - The National Gallery, Oslo has a large collection of his works including: Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827), Castellammare (1828), Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832), Hellefoss (1838), Fra Stalheim (1842), Fra Fortundalen (1842) and Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851) .
Selected works
- Vesuv i utbrudd (1826)
- Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827)
- Castellammare (1828)
- Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832)
- Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836)
- Hellefoss (1838)
- Stalheim (1842)
- Fra Fortundalen (1842)
- Bjerk i storm (1849)
- Hjelle i Valdres (1850)
- Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851)
- Måbødalen (1851)
Gallery
Johan Christian Claussen Dahl (February 24, 1788 – October 14, 1857), often known as was a NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
landscape painter, who was connected to the Norwegian romantic nationalism
Norwegian romantic nationalism
Norwegian romantic nationalism was a movement in Norway between 1840 and 1867 in art, literature, and popular culture that emphasized the aesthetics of Norwegian nature and the uniqueness of the Norwegian national identity...
. He is often considered have been "the father of Norwegian landscape painting".
Background
Born the son of a fisherman in Bergen, Norway, Dahl's first training was as a decorative artist in his native city. A group of well-to-do citizens collected money which enabled him to travel to CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1811 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Christian August Lorentzen
Christian August Lorentzen
Christian August Lorentzen was a Danish painter. He was the instructor of Martinus Rørbye.-Biography:Christian August Lorentzen was born on 10 August 1749 as the son of a watchmaker. He arrived in Copenhagen around 1771 where he frequented the Royal Academy of Fine Arts but it is unclear whether...
was his teacher, while Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Duchy of Schleswig , to Henrik Vilhelm Eckersberg, painter and carpenter, and Ingeborg Nielsdatter...
and the poetic landscapes of Jens Juel
Jens Juel (painter)
Jens Juel was a Danish painter, primarily known for his many portraits, of which the largest collection is on display at Frederiksborg Castle.-Early life and career:...
were other influences on young Dahl.
In the autumn of 1818, Dahl left Copenhagen. His intention was to go on a study tour to the most important cultural centers in Europe. One of his stops was Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, where he moved in artistic circles. In the summer of 1820 he traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, returning in 1821 to settle permanently in Dresden. He married and settled in Dresden but made several trips back to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to gather inspiration for his paintings.
Career
During his 7 years in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Johan Christian Dahl began his artistic career as a professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1824. Among his students were Norwegian artists Peder Balke
Peder Balke
Peder Balke was a Norwegian painter. He was known for portraying the nature of Norway in a positive manner and influenced a dramatic and romantic view of Norwegian landscape.-Biography:...
and Knud Bull
Knud Bull
Knud Geelmuyden Bull was a Norwegian painter and counterfeiter. He was convicted for delivering equipment for printing false bank notes, and was deported from Great Britain to Australia in 1846...
. He was active mostly in this city but gathered his subject material from the landscape of his home country. Together with Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
and Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus was a German physiologist and painter, born at Leipzig.A friend of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, he was a many-sided man: a doctor, a naturalist, a scientist and a psychologist and an advocate of the theory that health of body and mind depends on the equipoise of antagonistic...
, he would become one of the Dresden painters of the period who exerted a decisive influence on German Romantic painting.
J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century. His Romantic yet naturalistic interpretations of Norwegian scenery aroused interest in Norway on the European Continent, where Dahl himself was highly esteemed, particularly in Denmark and Germany. Dahl made frequent visits to Norway. In 1826 he went on a long study tour in Norway, his first visit there since leaving the country in 1811. Dahl visited Norway again in 1834, 1839, 1844 and 1850, and was thus able to expand the range of his Norwegian subject-matter. Dahl was active in promoting the preservation of historic monuments in Norway and was a founder of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
In 1836, Dahl was also among the founding fathers of the National Gallery of Norway (Norwegian: Nasjongallerietand) now the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and donated his own art collection to the institution. Jointly with Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven was a Norwegian author, poet, critic and art theorist.-Background:...
, Frederik Stang
Frederik Stang
Frederik Stang was a Norwegian lawyer, public servant, and politician who served as Norway's first prime minister....
and Henrik Heftye
Henrik Heftye
Henrik Thomassen Heftye was a Norwegian businessman.-Personal life:He was born in Christiania as the son of merchant Thomas Johannessen Heftye and his wife Katharina Tschudi . He did not marry, but through his sister Betha he was a brother-in-law of ship-owner Mogens Thorsen...
, he founded also the Art Society in Oslo (Norwegian: Oslo Kunstforening
Oslo Kunstforening
Oslo Kunstforening is an art gallery and art society located in Oslo, Norway.Oslo Kunstforening is located at Rådhusgata 19. The gallery, situated in one of the oldest houses in the Kvadraturen area, is the oldest artist gallery in Oslo. During the year, many varied shows are organized within the...
.
Personal life
Dahl was married twice. In 1820, he married Dorothea Franzisca Friederike Emilie von Block (1801-1827). Emilie Dahl died in childbirth in 1827. Following the death of his first wife, Dahl became married in 1830 to his art student Amalie von Bassewitz (1794-1830). Amalie died in childbirth later that year. Dahl died in Dresden, Germany. In 1902, a statue of Dahl by Norwegian sculptor Ambrosia Tønnesen (1859-1948), was erected on the facade of the Vestlandske kunstindustrimuseum in Bergen. In 1934, his remains brought back to Norway and buried in the cemetery of St. Jacob's Church (Sankt Jakob kirke) in Bergen.Honors
Dahl had the both the Orders of VasaHouse of Vasa
The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden 1523-1654 and of Poland 1587-1668. It originated from a noble family in Uppland of which several members had high offices during the 15th century....
and St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is a Norwegian order of chivalry that was instituted by King Oscar I of Norway and Sweden on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821...
bestowed on him by the King of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
- Order of VasaOrder of VasaThe Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
(1839) - Order of Dannebrog (1840)
- Order of St. Olav (1847)
Notable works
Many of his works may be seen in DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, notably a large picture titled Norway and Storm at Sea. The Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen, Norway contains several of his more prominent works including: Måbødalen (1851), Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836), Hjelle i Valdres (1850), Lysekloster (1827), Stedje i Sogn (1836) and Bjerk i storm (1849).
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design - The National Gallery, Oslo has a large collection of his works including: Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827), Castellammare (1828), Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832), Hellefoss (1838), Fra Stalheim (1842), Fra Fortundalen (1842) and Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851) .
Selected works
- Vesuv i utbrudd (1826)
- Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827)
- Castellammare (1828)
- Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832)
- Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836)
- Hellefoss (1838)
- Stalheim (1842)
- Fra Fortundalen (1842)
- Bjerk i storm (1849)
- Hjelle i Valdres (1850)
- Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851)
- Måbødalen (1851)
Gallery
Johan Christian Claussen Dahl (February 24, 1788 – October 14, 1857), often known as was a NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
landscape painter, who was connected to the Norwegian romantic nationalism
Norwegian romantic nationalism
Norwegian romantic nationalism was a movement in Norway between 1840 and 1867 in art, literature, and popular culture that emphasized the aesthetics of Norwegian nature and the uniqueness of the Norwegian national identity...
. He is often considered have been "the father of Norwegian landscape painting".
Background
Born the son of a fisherman in Bergen, Norway, Dahl's first training was as a decorative artist in his native city. A group of well-to-do citizens collected money which enabled him to travel to CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1811 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Christian August Lorentzen
Christian August Lorentzen
Christian August Lorentzen was a Danish painter. He was the instructor of Martinus Rørbye.-Biography:Christian August Lorentzen was born on 10 August 1749 as the son of a watchmaker. He arrived in Copenhagen around 1771 where he frequented the Royal Academy of Fine Arts but it is unclear whether...
was his teacher, while Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Duchy of Schleswig , to Henrik Vilhelm Eckersberg, painter and carpenter, and Ingeborg Nielsdatter...
and the poetic landscapes of Jens Juel
Jens Juel (painter)
Jens Juel was a Danish painter, primarily known for his many portraits, of which the largest collection is on display at Frederiksborg Castle.-Early life and career:...
were other influences on young Dahl.
In the autumn of 1818, Dahl left Copenhagen. His intention was to go on a study tour to the most important cultural centers in Europe. One of his stops was Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, where he moved in artistic circles. In the summer of 1820 he traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, returning in 1821 to settle permanently in Dresden. He married and settled in Dresden but made several trips back to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to gather inspiration for his paintings.
Career
During his 7 years in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Johan Christian Dahl began his artistic career as a professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1824. Among his students were Norwegian artists Peder Balke
Peder Balke
Peder Balke was a Norwegian painter. He was known for portraying the nature of Norway in a positive manner and influenced a dramatic and romantic view of Norwegian landscape.-Biography:...
and Knud Bull
Knud Bull
Knud Geelmuyden Bull was a Norwegian painter and counterfeiter. He was convicted for delivering equipment for printing false bank notes, and was deported from Great Britain to Australia in 1846...
. He was active mostly in this city but gathered his subject material from the landscape of his home country. Together with Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
and Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus was a German physiologist and painter, born at Leipzig.A friend of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, he was a many-sided man: a doctor, a naturalist, a scientist and a psychologist and an advocate of the theory that health of body and mind depends on the equipoise of antagonistic...
, he would become one of the Dresden painters of the period who exerted a decisive influence on German Romantic painting.
J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century. His Romantic yet naturalistic interpretations of Norwegian scenery aroused interest in Norway on the European Continent, where Dahl himself was highly esteemed, particularly in Denmark and Germany. Dahl made frequent visits to Norway. In 1826 he went on a long study tour in Norway, his first visit there since leaving the country in 1811. Dahl visited Norway again in 1834, 1839, 1844 and 1850, and was thus able to expand the range of his Norwegian subject-matter. Dahl was active in promoting the preservation of historic monuments in Norway and was a founder of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
In 1836, Dahl was also among the founding fathers of the National Gallery of Norway (Norwegian: Nasjongallerietand) now the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and donated his own art collection to the institution. Jointly with Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven was a Norwegian author, poet, critic and art theorist.-Background:...
, Frederik Stang
Frederik Stang
Frederik Stang was a Norwegian lawyer, public servant, and politician who served as Norway's first prime minister....
and Henrik Heftye
Henrik Heftye
Henrik Thomassen Heftye was a Norwegian businessman.-Personal life:He was born in Christiania as the son of merchant Thomas Johannessen Heftye and his wife Katharina Tschudi . He did not marry, but through his sister Betha he was a brother-in-law of ship-owner Mogens Thorsen...
, he founded also the Art Society in Oslo (Norwegian: Oslo Kunstforening
Oslo Kunstforening
Oslo Kunstforening is an art gallery and art society located in Oslo, Norway.Oslo Kunstforening is located at Rådhusgata 19. The gallery, situated in one of the oldest houses in the Kvadraturen area, is the oldest artist gallery in Oslo. During the year, many varied shows are organized within the...
.
Personal life
Dahl was married twice. In 1820, he married Dorothea Franzisca Friederike Emilie von Block (1801-1827). Emilie Dahl died in childbirth in 1827. Following the death of his first wife, Dahl became married in 1830 to his art student Amalie von Bassewitz (1794-1830). Amalie died in childbirth later that year. Dahl died in Dresden, Germany. In 1902, a statue of Dahl by Norwegian sculptor Ambrosia Tønnesen (1859-1948), was erected on the facade of the Vestlandske kunstindustrimuseum in Bergen. In 1934, his remains brought back to Norway and buried in the cemetery of St. Jacob's Church (Sankt Jakob kirke) in Bergen.Honors
Dahl had the both the Orders of VasaHouse of Vasa
The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden 1523-1654 and of Poland 1587-1668. It originated from a noble family in Uppland of which several members had high offices during the 15th century....
and St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is a Norwegian order of chivalry that was instituted by King Oscar I of Norway and Sweden on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821...
bestowed on him by the King of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
- Order of VasaOrder of VasaThe Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
(1839) - Order of Dannebrog (1840)
- Order of St. Olav (1847)
Notable works
Many of his works may be seen in DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, notably a large picture titled Norway and Storm at Sea. The Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen, Norway contains several of his more prominent works including: Måbødalen (1851), Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836), Hjelle i Valdres (1850), Lysekloster (1827), Stedje i Sogn (1836) and Bjerk i storm (1849).
The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design - The National Gallery, Oslo has a large collection of his works including: Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827), Castellammare (1828), Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832), Hellefoss (1838), Fra Stalheim (1842), Fra Fortundalen (1842) and Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851) .
Selected works
- Vesuv i utbrudd (1826)
- Vinter ved Sognefjorden (1827)
- Castellammare (1828)
- Skibbrudd ved den norske kyst (1832)
- Fra Stedje i Sogn (1836)
- Hellefoss (1838)
- Stalheim (1842)
- Fra Fortundalen (1842)
- Bjerk i storm (1849)
- Hjelle i Valdres (1850)
- Stugunøset på Filefjell (1851)
- Måbødalen (1851)
Gallery
File:Frederiksborg Slot 1814 by J.C. Dahl.jpg| Frederiksborg Slot (1814)
Image:Dahl.I.C.1820.jpg| Avaldsnes Church (1820)
File:Trolltindene 1823.jpg| Trolltindene (1823)
Image:Johan Christian Dahl - Megalith Grave in Winter.JPG| Megalith Grave in Winter (1824-25)
Image:I.C.Dahl Vesuv.jpg| Outbreak of the Vesuvius (1826)
File:Indsejlingen til København )J. C. Dahl).jpg|Entrance to Copenhagen, (1830)
Image:Johan Christian Claussen Dahl 002.jpg| Gewitterstimmung bei Dresden (1830)
Image:ICDahl, Skibbrudd.jpg| Shipwreck on the Coast of Norway (1832)
File:Watzmann 1835.jpg| Watzmann (1835)
Image:Johan Christian Claussen Dahl 003.jpg| Lyshornet near Bergen (1836)
Image:ICDahl, Bjerk i storm.jpg| Bjerk i storm (1836)
File:Dahl-Stalheim.jpg| Stalheim (1842)
Image:Frogner Manor by I. C. Dahl for Benjamin Wegner.jpg| Frogner Manor (1842)
Image:DahlHolmestrand.jpg|Holmestrand (1843)
Image:Dahl - Copenhagen Harbour by Moonlight.jpg| Copenhagen Harbour by Moonlight (1846)
Other sources
- Aubert, Andreas (1893) Professor Dahl. Et stykke af Aarhundredets Kunst- og Kulturhistorie
- Aubert, Andreas (1894) Den Norske Naturfølelse og Professor Dahl. Hans Kunst og dens Stilling i Aarhundredets Utvikling
- Aubert, Andreas (1920) Maleren Johan Christian Dahl. Et stykke av forrige aarhundres kunst- og kulturhistorie
- Bang, Marie Lødrup (1988) Johan Christian Dahl 1788-1857: Life and Works Volume 1-3 (Scandinavian University Press Publication)
- Heilmann, Christoph (1988) Johan Christian Dahl. 1788-1857 Neue Pinakothek Munchen-1988-1989 (Eidition Lipp)