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Lot Essay
Balke was one of the first artists to venture to the vast, untrodden plains of the North Cape. He visited the North Cape only once, aged 28 in 1832, but the experience became a touchstone of his imagination for the rest of his life. Almost nothing survives of Balke’s 1832 journey except for a few pencil sketches. Nevertheless, “Henceforth, Balke and his art would be associated with that desolate and hostile realm, as Eugène Delacroix was with North Africa or, later, Paul Gauguin with Tahiti. It would provide him with motifs for his entire painting career, both public and private. It would set him apart’ (C. Riopelle, p. exh. cat. Paintings by Peder Balke, London 2014, p. 59).
Overwhelmed by the opulent beauty of nature and the dramatic locations, this voyage was of central importance to his artistic development. His subsequent landscapes draw their inspiration from the scenery which he witnessed during this trip. As one of the first artists to travel in this region - when it was thought to be the northernmost point in Europe - his œuvre would explore recurrent motifs whilst forming a testament to his unique observations.
By 1852 Balke had returned to Norway after extensive travels in France (where King Louis-Philippe acquired 30 of his paintings) and London. This was a period of confidence and maturity in his brushwork, as can been seen in the View of the Sarpsfossen from 1852 (The Hearn Family Trust Collection), recently on loan to the MET Museum, New York. The present lot expresses Balke's fascination and enthusiasm with the natural dramtically beautiful elements of Norway.
Overwhelmed by the opulent beauty of nature and the dramatic locations, this voyage was of central importance to his artistic development. His subsequent landscapes draw their inspiration from the scenery which he witnessed during this trip. As one of the first artists to travel in this region - when it was thought to be the northernmost point in Europe - his œuvre would explore recurrent motifs whilst forming a testament to his unique observations.
By 1852 Balke had returned to Norway after extensive travels in France (where King Louis-Philippe acquired 30 of his paintings) and London. This was a period of confidence and maturity in his brushwork, as can been seen in the View of the Sarpsfossen from 1852 (The Hearn Family Trust Collection), recently on loan to the MET Museum, New York. The present lot expresses Balke's fascination and enthusiasm with the natural dramtically beautiful elements of Norway.