Ripe Fields, Harald Sohlberg, at Sotheby's, Estimate between 1 million and 1.5 million pounds
Thanks to Sotheby’s I have discovered Harald Sohlberg, regarded as one of Norway’s greatest painters. It perhaps illustrates some of my sharpening visual intelligence that the moment I saw the first frame of a video of Sotheby’s about the upcoming sale of Sohlberg’s 1898 painting ‘Ripe Fields’, I mumbled ‘Munch’ to myself. Sure enough, as it turns out and as the video mentions at cue 2.00 Sohlberg, born six years after Munch, was compared to Edvard Munch throughout their lives.
In terms of their techniques, Munch was clearly very rapid in his brushstrokes while Sohlberg’s style is more deliberate and anchored. He does not seem to be in a hurry to finish like Munch. The result is rather calming images. It is no surprise that Sohlberg’s ‘Winter Night in the Mountains’ has become Norway’s most favorite work.
Munch’s works, although brilliant and my frequent reference points, have melancholic nerviness to them unlike Sohlberg’s which are deeply reassuring. Both were great artists but of very different temperaments.
When I saw Sohlberg's 'Winter Night in the Mountains' I was reminded of a pastel I had done awhile ago.
Snow mountains--MC
