Nikolai Astrup
Nikolai Astrup: Jølster in painting, woodcut and garden
Nikolai Astrup (1880 to 1928) was a Norwegian painter and printmaker, born in Bremanger and raised in Jølster. He studied with Harriet Backer in Kristiania and briefly with Christian Krohg in Paris. Following his travels abroad in 1901 and 1902, his home region became the foundation of an independent artistic practice.
Nature as subject and cultivated landscape
Astrup’s art connects the landscape of western Norway with everyday life and folklore. Spring Night in the Garden of 1909 and Midsummer Eve Bonfire of 1915 range from work in the luminous night landscape to the flames and gathering of a midsummer celebration. These pictures show how one place could encompass everyday activity and a distinctive world of atmosphere.
In 1912 Astrup purchased Sandalstrand, where the family moved in 1913. The steep property was transformed with buildings, terraces, fruit trees and food crops. The garden supplied the family and became a recurring subject. Astruptunet consequently makes it possible to understand the relationship between his pictures and a landscape he helped to shape.
A painterly woodcut
Astrup began making woodcuts in 1904. He favoured alder for the blocks and frequently worked with several blocks and oil colours. The paper was printed by hand, without a printing press. Brushwork on the impressions could provide individual adjustments. This connection between the carved matrix and painterly colour handling is essential to understanding his prints.
Foxgloves demonstrates why title and technique must be distinguished. The catalogue raisonné documents a painting in oil on canvas from 1909 in Norway’s National Museum. It also records a colour woodcut on paper with the same title, a particular impression dated 1925 in the same museum. These are different works; one date cannot be applied to every representation of the subject.
Astrup’s printmaking also includes Spring Night and Willow, Moon in May and Night Ploughing. The catalogue helps distinguish subjects and individual works and investigate dates and variants.
Identification, condition and documentation
Distinguish paintings, original print impressions and later reproductions. Record image and paper dimensions, the entire sheet, reverse, signature, inscriptions and ownership history. Compare colours and brush marks with the particular variant; alone they do not establish authorship. Describe fading, stains, tears, trimming, adhesive and mounting, or paint loss and restoration on paintings. Numbering alone does not establish edition size. State uncertainty about authorship and dating.
Read more about woodcuts, artist signatures, provenance and ownership history.
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