AshehougAgency

Christian Krogh

Christian Krohg (1852-1925) was one of the leading figures of the group known as the Christiania Bohemians. He was also an eminent artist. In this book, Oscar Thue emphasises Christian Krohg’s development as a painter and reviews his artwork chronologically and thematically.

Thue provides us with an insight into Krohg’s compositional principles and shows the emergence of different theme cycles. The man Christian Krohg with all his contradictions is also evoked, as is the cultural celebrity. We are also given glimpses of the artistic circles of Berlin, Paris, Skagen, Copenhagen and Christiania (Oslo) of which he was a part; moreover, we get to know the people Krohg came in contact with and the effect they had on his development as an artist.

With his enormous knowledge of Christian Krohg’s life and work, Thue presents material of considerable dimensions. Though principally stressing Krohg’s importance as a painter, the author also describes Krohg as a cultural personage who occupied an important place in Norwegian and Scandinavian art and cultural history, and reveals his attitudes to the ideas and trends of his day. The paradoxical Christian Krohg is revealed, together with the artist’s work as teacher, organiser, debater and writer.

This breadth of knowledge enables Thue to guide us through the stimulating and exciting life of an artist of rare talent. With this at its core, the book makes fascinating reading. It is beautifully produced with many illustrations in colour and black and white.

Oscar Thue (1928-1994) was senior curator at the Norwegian National Gallery. He dedicated his life to the study of Christian Krohg. He wrote his M.A. thesis on the artist, and later, books and articles about Krohg. He also contributed a number of articles on cultural history for books, periodicals and exhibition catalogues, as well as several encyclopedias.

Publisher: H. Aschehoug & Co. (W. Nygaard) 1997
ISBN: 82-03-22103-3
376 pages, hardcover