Rough Sea with a Steamer near the Coast of Norway
Peder Balke
1847-1850
The Norwegian landscape painter Peder Balke originally trained as a house painter and went on to study fine art in Oslo, Stockholm, and Dresden. A great traveller, he stayed in Copenhagen in 1830 and 1844-45, becoming acquainted with several Danish painters. He lived in Paris for a while and visited London in 1849-50, where he would presumably have seen the works of J.M.W. Turner. In 1832 Balke travelled the Norwegian Sea along the coastline from Trondheim to North Cape, inspiring many of his marine scenes. The topography of this dramatic scene with a steamer in distress cannot be identified, but is based on impressions from this journey. His vibrant, dynamic manner of painting and high-impact subject matter sets Balke apart from all his Scandinavian contemporaries. His dramatic perception of nature may owe a debt to Turner.
SMK – National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen · Image: SMK – National Gallery of Denmark, Public domain · Text: SMK – National Gallery of Denmark (text: Peter Nørgaard Larsen), CC0