Solstice. Nordic Painting 1880–1910
Solstice. Nordic Painting 1880–1910, editors: Agnieszka Bagińska, and Wojciech Głowacki, eds., exh. cat., The National Museum in Warsaw (Warsaw, 2022); 272 pages; graphic design: Ryszard Bienert, ISBN 978-83-7100-481-0.
This exhibition catalogue showcases Nordic painting (from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) created in its heyday: the late 19th and early 20th century. The selection reflects the main artistic tendencies of the time: Naturalism, Impressionism, Symbolism, and Expressionism.
The publication attracts the eye with its exquisite graphic design. The extensive album part features reproductions of all works presented at the exhibition (a lot of attention is devoted to landscape, but also realistic and expressive portraits and genre scenes). In the essay part, curators Agnieszka Bagińska and Wojciech Głowacki discuss the development paths followed by Nordic and Polish painting at the turn of the century (also summarised in a chronological table at the end of the book). Grażyna Szelągowska introduces the historical context. Patrik Steorn and Peter Larsen point to the (sometimes surprising) inspirations of Northern painters and the reasons for their stylistic decisions. Carina Rech takes up the topic of the professional realisation of women artists. Nils Ohlsen describes the ways of creating and the meaning of space in Edvard Munch’s paintings.
price: PLN 160