Elling Reitan
Elling Reitan (born in Trondheim in 1949) is a Norwegian visual artist working in painting and printmaking. Strong colours, human figures and literary or philosophical associations characterise his pictures. His expression can combine recognisable motifs with abstract fields of colour and surreal juxtapositions.
From literary studies to visual art
Reitan studied literary history and philosophy before committing fully to art. He was a pupil of Odd Nerdrum from 1982 to 1987. This apprenticeship forms part of his background, but should not replace a description of Reitan's own expression.
Galleri Pingvin emphasises the connection between abstraction and naturalism, with influences from Surrealism. Colour is an independent part of this expression. A landscape or human figure can belong to a composition organised primarily through contrasts, light and intense fields of colour.
Butterflies, madonnas and the paired figures
Fineart describes the butterfly as a symbol of freedom in Reitan's work, often associated with a female figure. The Madonna also belongs to his subject matter, with references to Munch's earthly Madonna. Such connections should be read as artistic references, not as signs that a work was made by Munch.
A recurring feature is a pair of stylised figures in black and white, associated with yin and yang. Galleri Athene states that the pair was first used in 1983. The motif can help orient viewers within his work, but cannot authenticate a print or establish by itself when a particular impression was made.
Three documented prints
Hommage Basquiat is listed by Fineart as a screenprint on paper from 2021, with a stated edition of 120. The image measures 61 × 47 cm, while the listed format is 75 × 59 cm. These figures apply to this catalogue entry; frame, sheet and image must be distinguished when describing another impression.
Vill sommerfugl demonstrates a different technique. Fineart's specific entry states aquatint and carborundum, an edition of 70 and an image size of 75 × 57 cm. The gallery describes specially embossed paper. It is therefore imprecise to call all Reitan's works on paper lithographs on the basis of his name or similar motifs.
For Madonna med sommerfugl, overmalt, the entry specifies lithography with hand colouring, an image of 91 × 91 cm and a format of 100 × 97 cm. Handwork added to a print changes how the impression should be described, but does not automatically turn the underlying work into an independent painting. The specific edition still requires investigation.
Exhibitions and production collaborations
The Noyes Museum of Art's own archive documents a Reitan exhibition from 17 March to 1 May 2018. At Britannia Hotel in 2023, he showed paintings, charcoal drawings, cubes and prints, among other works. This exhibition history shows that his practice cannot be reduced to one motif or printmaking technique.
Britannia also mentions prints on metal in acrylic glass boxes and Munch adaptations printed by Alexander Heinrici in the USA. Authorship of the motif, adaptation, printing and mounting are different roles. Documented printer information is valuable; it should not automatically be applied to all prints with a similar title.
Original, variant and reproduction
Assessment must distinguish paintings, drawings, documented original prints, prints with handwork and reproductions. Record technique, paper, image size, sheet size, signature, numbering and any publisher's or printer's marks. Compare these details with documentation for the exact edition. A sales title alone does not fully identify a work.
Preserve receipts, labels and information about previous owners. Examine fading, moisture stains, tears, adhesive residues, framing and any later application of colour. Signature similarity and recognisable symbols alone do not establish authenticity. Also describe what remains unknown about printing, dating and provenance.
Read more about lithography, aquatint, modernism, artist signatures, provenance and ownership history.
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