1804 -1887 · Norway, North Cape and Christiania

Black seas, ghostly mountains and almost abstract gestures make Peder Balke a surprisingly modern Norwegian romantic.

Peder Balke was born in 1804 on the Norwegian island of Helgøya and died in Christiania, today Oslo, in 1887. Coming from a poor background, he began as a decorative painter before studying in Christiania, Stockholm then Dresden with Johan Christian Dahl. In 1832, a decisive journey took him by sea to the North Cape. Cliffs, storms, mountains and Arctic light provided him with a repertoire that he took over throughout his life, often from memory. Cliffs, storms, mountains and arctic light provided him with a repertoire that he took over throughout his life, often from memory. Cliffs, storms, mountains and arctic light provided him with a repertoire that he took over throughout his life, often from memory. Cliffs, storms, mountains and arctic light provided him with a repertoire that he took over throughout his life, often from memory. Balke sought to interest the Norwegian court and even King Louis-Philippe during a stay in Paris, but his painting met with little commercial success. Balke sought to interest the Norwegian court and even King Louis-Philippe during a stay in Paris, but his painting met with little commercial success. This forced freedom nevertheless favored an extraordinarily technical technique personal. He sometimes spreads a light layer, removes material with a cloth, scratches, dabs or uses his fingers before adding some dark accents. The Storm reduces sea, sky, boats and birds to black and white sweeps. Mount Stetind in the mist brings out the summit as an apparition. The North Cape condenses the experience of Arctic travel into a rocky emblem, while Kongsberg retains the energy of the sketch. After the 1860s, the North Cape condensed the experience of Arctic travel into a rocky emblem, while Kongsberg retained the energy of the sketch. After the 1860s, Balke devoted himself mainly to social projects and painted small panels for himself, today recognized as anticipations of modernity. After the 1860s, Balke devoted himself mainly to social projects and painted small panels for himself, today recognized as anticipations of modernity. After the 1860s, Balke devoted himself mainly to social projects and painted small panels for himself, today recognized as anticipations of modernity. After the 1860s, Balke devoted himself mainly to social projects and painted small panels for himself, today recognized as anticipations of modernity. After the 1860s, Balke devoted himself mainly to social projects and painted small panels for The storm. His reading favors drawing.

Balke paints the North as a physical memory: he wipes, scratches and sweeps away the material until the mountain and the storm appear almost alone.