Artwork
The Sarpfossen in Norway
The Sarpfossen in Norway is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Eric Paulsen. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Eric Paulsen's 1789 oil painting depicts the Sarpfossen, the Sarp Falls, a Norwegian waterfall.
Eric Paulsen's 1789 oil painting depicts the Sarpfossen, the Sarp Falls, a Norwegian waterfall. Classified as a landscape painting and held by the Statens Museum for Kunst, the work belongs to a tradition of topographical landscape art that documented the natural features of Norway. By focusing on a specific, identifiable cascade rather than a generalized scene, the painting functions as a visual record of a celebrated Norwegian landmark, situating the country's dramatic scenery as a subject worthy of serious artistic attention.
Its inclusion in the exhibition "Images of an Era. Norway 1814" indicates that the image carried enduring significance as a representation of Norwegian identity and place, linking the depiction of the falls to broader narratives of national landscape and memory in the decades around 1814.
The symbolism of the work lies in its elevation of a Norwegian natural site to the status of fine art subject, treating the falls as both a specific geographical feature and an emblem of the sublime power of the country's terrain.
Technique & Style
The Sarpfossen in Norway is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for late eighteenth-century European landscape painting. The work is classified as a landscape painting and measures 63.5 cm in height by 79 cm in width, giving it a horizontal orientation suited to panoramic natural scenery. The medium of oil on canvas allowed Eric Paulsen to render the Norwegian waterfall scene with the tonal depth and layered handling typical of the period's landscape tradition.
History & Provenance
The Sarpfossen in Norway is an oil-on-canvas landscape painting created by Eric Paulsen in 1789. The work depicts the Sarp Falls and measures 63.5 cm in height by 79 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The painting was included in the exhibition titled Images of an Era. Norway 1814.
The painting is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. Created in 1789 by Eric Paulsen, the work depicts the Sarp Falls and is executed in oil on canvas with dimensions of 63.5 by 79 centimeters. The artwork has been featured in the exhibition titled "Images of an Era. Norway 1814."
Overview
The Sarpfossen in Norway is a painting created by Erik Pauelsen in 1795. It is an oil-on-canvas work depicting a dramatic waterfall scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Erik Pauelsen (2 or 14 October 1749 – 20 February 1790) was a Danish painter. He is most notable for his landscapes and was also a popular portraitist. However, he did not experience the same level of success as Jens…
