Karl Nordström
Encyclopedia
Karl Fredrik Nordström was a Swedish painter and one of the leading members of Konstnärsförbundet, which he chaired from 1896 until its dissolution in 1920.
Born on Gotland
, but growing up on Tjörn
on the Swedish West Coast, Nordström studied at principskolan, the preparatory school of the Royal Academy of Arts
in Stockholm and the private painting school of Edvard Perséus, but was never promoted to the "Antique school" of the Academy but had to continue on his own. Traveling to Paris in 1881, he was influenced by the impressionists. He spent a couple of years in Grez-sur-Loing
, the site of an important colony of Scandinavian artists, practising his plein air painting in the strong French sunlight. In 1885, he joined the group of young artists protesting against the policies and leadership of the Academy, and he was ever since 1886 one of the leading members of Konstnärsförbundet, the formalization of the opposition group. He was its chairman from 1896 until its dissolution in 1920.
In 1886, he married xylographer and photographer Tekla Lindeström in Paris. Later the same year, he settled on Tjörn, using what he had learnt in France about light and colours to depict the landscape where he had grown up. He spent the summer of 1889 in Visby. Around 1890, he moved from his earlier impressionism towards a more synthetist
style. His influences came from Japanese art, which he had encountered in Paris, and from Gauguin
, whose paintings he first saw in photographs he had received from Ivan Aguéli
.
One of Nordström's old friends from the time at the Academy and in Perséus' school, Nils Kreuger
, had lived in the city of Varberg
since 1888. He convinced Nordström to move there in 1892, and they were joined by another of their old friends, Richard Bergh
, in 1893. He renewed his acquaintance with the work of Gauguin in Copenhagen in 1892, and with works by van Gogh
, exhibited there the next year. His landscapes from Varberg and the Halland countryside were often characterized by the warm sunlight of dawn or dusk or the light Nordic summer nights and a progressively more synthetist style.
Born on Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
, but growing up on Tjörn
Tjörn
Tjörn is the sixth largest island in Sweden. It is located on the Swedish West coast in the province of Bohuslän.-Geography:Tjörn is connected in the east to the town of Stenungsund on the mainland by the Tjörn bridge, and to the island of Orust in the north by theSkåpesund bridge. The largest town...
on the Swedish West Coast, Nordström studied at principskolan, the preparatory school of the Royal Academy of Arts
Royal Swedish Academy of Arts
The Royal Swedish Academy of Arts or Kungl. Akademien för de fria konsterna, founded in 1773 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
in Stockholm and the private painting school of Edvard Perséus, but was never promoted to the "Antique school" of the Academy but had to continue on his own. Traveling to Paris in 1881, he was influenced by the impressionists. He spent a couple of years in Grez-sur-Loing
Grez-sur-Loing
Grez-sur-Loing is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in north-central France.-People:It is located 70 km south of Paris and is notable for the artists and musicians who have lived or stayed there...
, the site of an important colony of Scandinavian artists, practising his plein air painting in the strong French sunlight. In 1885, he joined the group of young artists protesting against the policies and leadership of the Academy, and he was ever since 1886 one of the leading members of Konstnärsförbundet, the formalization of the opposition group. He was its chairman from 1896 until its dissolution in 1920.
In 1886, he married xylographer and photographer Tekla Lindeström in Paris. Later the same year, he settled on Tjörn, using what he had learnt in France about light and colours to depict the landscape where he had grown up. He spent the summer of 1889 in Visby. Around 1890, he moved from his earlier impressionism towards a more synthetist
Synthetism
Synthetism is a term used by post-Impressionist artists like Paul Gauguin, Émile Bernard and Louis Anquetin to distinguish their work from Impressionism. Earlier, Synthetism has been connected to the term Cloisonnism, and later to Symbolism...
style. His influences came from Japanese art, which he had encountered in Paris, and from Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
, whose paintings he first saw in photographs he had received from Ivan Aguéli
Ivan Aguéli
Ivan Aguéli also named Sheikh 'Abd al-Hādī 'Aqīlī upon his acceptance of Islam, was a Swedish wandering Sufi, painter and author. As a devotee of Ibn Arabi, his metaphysics applied to the study of Islamic esoterism and its similarities with other esoteric traditions of the world...
.
One of Nordström's old friends from the time at the Academy and in Perséus' school, Nils Kreuger
Nils Kreuger
Nils Edvard Kreuger was a Swedish painter.After studying at the Perséus school of painting, Nils Kreuger came to Paris in 1881. Under the influence of the French plein air style of painting he produced landscapes and cityscapes of Paris and its region, often at dawn or dusk, in the mist, rain or...
, had lived in the city of Varberg
Varberg
Varberg is a locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 26,041 inhabitants in 2005.Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into...
since 1888. He convinced Nordström to move there in 1892, and they were joined by another of their old friends, Richard Bergh
Richard Bergh
Sven Richard Bergh was a well-known Swedish painter from Stockholm, Sweden. His paintings often depicted Swedish landscapes and portraits...
, in 1893. He renewed his acquaintance with the work of Gauguin in Copenhagen in 1892, and with works by van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
, exhibited there the next year. His landscapes from Varberg and the Halland countryside were often characterized by the warm sunlight of dawn or dusk or the light Nordic summer nights and a progressively more synthetist style.