Frits Thaulow

FRITS THAULOW (Oslo, 1847 - Volendam, 1906)
"Surroundings of Dordrecht."
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Provenance: collection Arnold Eugen Reimann (1827-1888), important Danish banker. With old label on the back "A. Reimann, Portland, Oregon".
Measurements: 53 × 67 cm; 82 × 94.5 cm (frame).

River landscape representative of the production of Frits Thaulow, one of the main exponents of Scandinavian naturalist painting of the late nineteenth century. The work presents an urban view dominated by a stone bridge, where the artist displays his characteristic interest in the effects of light and its vibration on the surface of the water.

The composition stands out for its enveloping atmosphere and the richness of the brushstroke, with a palette of warm, nuanced tones that are reflected in the river, generating a sense of depth and stillness. Thaulow, influenced by French impressionism, developed his own language focused on the direct observation of the landscape and the capture of light variations, especially in river environments.

A leading figure on the Norwegian art scene alongside Christian Krohg and Erik Werenskiold, Thaulow participated in the consolidation of the first major national art exhibition in Norway (Høstutstillingen, 1882). From 1892 he settled in France, where he developed the most mature part of his production in locations such as Dieppe, Quimperlé or Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. Internationally recognized during his lifetime, he was awarded important decorations, including the French Legion of Honor.

His work is preserved in first class institutions such as the National Gallery of Oslo -which gathers an important group of paintings-, the Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg, the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston or the Busch-Reisinger Museum of Harvard University.