Harriet Backer is a famous female artist prominent in the Scandinavian art world and known for her interior paintings. Backer paintings reflect the Realism art tradition of early Impressionist painters. She does not associate with any specific art movement.
Female artist Harriet Backer was born in 1845 in Holmestrand, Norway. She showed an early interest in art and began taking drawing lessons at 15.
In 1864, she moved to Munich, Germany, to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. She also studied in Paris and Rome, where she discovered the art of the French Impressionists. She studied under the famous artist Jean Leon Gerome, who was known for his Orientalism art and academic paintings.
Harriet Backer showed her paintings in the late 1800s, including at the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893.
The artist died aged 87 in 1932. In 2018, a Paris exhibition featured oil paintings by famous female artists. Some artists included were Harriet Backer, Anna Ancher, Berthe Morisot, and Mary Cassatt. The exhibition showcased their work to the public.
Backer painted her most famous painting, Blue Interior, in 1883. The original oil painting is at the National Museum of Art, Architecture, and Design in Oslo. Backer painted a woman sewing in a sunny room with blue walls and furniture.
Experts estimate that Backer completed around 180 oil paintings during her lifetime.
Harriet Backer's art showcases Scandinavian culture through her oil paintings, reflecting the beauty of the Nordic countries. The area has a strong artistic past, blending traditional folk art with styles like Impressionism and Expressionism. Scandinavian art enthusiasts recognize it for using natural elements and focusing on the essence of everyday life.
As a famous female artist, Backer's contributions to the Norwegian art scene are significant. Backer is the first female artist to gain recognition and success in a male-dominated field. Harriet Backer's landscape paintings show the beauty of Norway. Her art still inspires Scandinavian artists today, and her paintings are timeless.
In short, Harriet Backer is a well-known Norwegian female artist who has significantly impacted Scandinavian art. Her Norwegian paintings continue to captivate viewers with their dreamy landscapes and intimate paintings of interiors.
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