Ludvig Eikaas
Ludvig Eikaas (1920 to 2010) was a Norwegian painter, printmaker and sculptor from Jølster who spent much of his career in Oslo. He trained at Statens håndverks- og kunstindustriskole and the art academies in Oslo and Copenhagen. He made his debut at the Autumn Exhibition in 1946. From 1970 he was a professor at Statens Kunstakademi, serving as rector from 1981 to 1983.
Abstraction, figuration and concentrated expression
Eikaas did not confine himself to one artistic movement. Oseana's collection text describes his concurrent exploration of abstract paintings and recognisable subjects. The woodcuts Dyr i kamp and Hest i vind compress movement, character and humour into a few lines. Simplicity of form does not therefore mean simplicity of content.
During the 1950s his strict geometrical structures became freer. Norsk kunstnerleksikon highlights western Norwegian landscapes and his painterly treatment of sensory impressions. His portraits range from quiet character studies to burlesque interpretations. The etching Vestland I of 1965 connects a rowing boat with the contrast between light and dark areas.
Material as part of the investigation
Eikaasgalleriet documents Blå komposisjon (1948) as oil on canvas and Magister Haaken A. Christensen (1969) as pink polyester. Their contrasting materials show why each work requires its own description. Text, sculpture and unconventional materials became more prominent in his work during the 1960s.
Jeg and different forms of portraiture
Jeg exists in several versions. The National Museum's MS-03802-1995 is a line etching on paper from 1970, measuring 49.5 × 42 cm. Text serves as a self-portrait without a depicted face. Its edition field refers to the inscription without stating a number. Other Jeg versions require separate documentation.
Dikteren Sandemose in the same museum is a woodcut on paper, 40.2 × 26.4 cm. The catalogue dates the block to 1963 or 1964; this does not establish the printing date of every impression. The work provides a specific example of Eikaas' portraiture through cut forms.
Illustration remained part of his later practice. For Den norske Bokklubben he illustrated Ibsen's plays and made a portrait of the writer. The Ibsen series was shown in Berlin in 2000, among other venues. Eikaasgalleriet in Jølster opened in 1994 and holds works in several media.
What should be examined in an Eikaas work?
With text-based images and portraits, distinguish the subject from its particular execution. A painting, an original print and a reproduction may share a title without belonging to the same category. In printmaking, distinguish block or plate dates, printing dates and inscriptions. Examine paper edges and reverse, framing, discolouration and earlier mounting, and retain receipts and exhibition labels. Such information can illuminate a work's history; a familiar Eikaas title or similar signature alone does not authenticate it.
Read more about woodcuts, etching, modernism, artist signatures, provenance and ownership history.
Browse related items in our online shop.
Contact OBA about selling and assessment (Norwegian page).
Sources and further reading
- National Museum: Ludvig Eikaas, artist record
- Norsk kunstnerleksikon: Ludvig Eikaas
- Store norske leksikon: Ludvig Eikaas
- Oseana: Eikaas and his woodcuts
- Eikaasgalleriet: Development of the artist’s practice
- National Museum: Jeg, line etching of 1970
- National Museum: Dikteren Sandemose
- Norsk biografisk leksikon: Ludvig Eikaas
