Peder Balke
04.11.54 – 28.11.54
Memorial exhibition in honor of Peder Balke. The painter is undoubtedly an interesting figure within our art history. More strongly than most, Balke is characterized by the dualism of Norwegian society in the last century, by the tension between a closed rural society and a common European culture, which the domestic urban environment fought to give universal validity. This has largely left its mark on his art.
Catalog text
Peder Balke was born on 4 November 1804 and we use the 150th anniversary with the greatest pleasure to pay tribute to this unique artist who has not always been properly appreciated.
Balke's technical mastery has long been praised, but we believe that the exhibition will show that this mastery was combined with a deep poetic ability to experience and with a personal and characteristic view of art that gives him rank among our most significant painters from the last century.
When organizing the exhibition, we had a number of good helpers. First and foremost, Peder Balke's family, whose members have all made their photos available with the greatest willingness. Furthermore, a number of other owners, museums and private individuals, who have contributed with loans or have provided information about Balke's pictures, and finally our foremost connoisseur of Balke's production. museum director Henning Alsvik, Drammen, who has helped with the selection of images, and has also written the catalogue's foreword. We offer them all our heartiest thanks.
The board of the Kunstnernes hus
