For your inspiration today is a grand landscape by Adelsteen Normann titled Summer in Fjord.
Title: Summer in Fjord
Date Created: 1918
Size: 28.3 x 37.7 inches (72 x 96 cm)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
A few observations:
- It follows many of the classic “rules” of landscape painting. If you asked me to visualize a landscape with mountains and a lake, something like this would come to mind. This can be a positive or a negative depending on how you look at it. The rules and theory exist for a reason: they are safe and generally lead to visually appealing artworks. But on the other hand, it may appear cliché and overdone. In this case, Normann sets himself apart from other landscapes with his impressive execution.
- He took a softer and more simplified approach with the sky. The land has a more gritty and raw feel to it.
- The sky has a wonderful dance between positive and negative space (the clouds and the open sky). It appears natural, but it also has a sense of structure and harmony. Like you would expect of a good classical piece in music.
- The mountains gradually get cooler and weaker in the distance, suggesting atmospheric perspective.
- There’s a subtle link between the sky and land with the overlapping clouds on the mountain tops. This gives the painting a sense of cohesion. The sky and land appear distinct, yet also part of the same whole.
- The shoreline helps draw our eyes into and around the painting. Notice how he created the illusion and detail with all the different strokes and colors and textures.
- The reflections on the water’s surface are of course a key feature. Normann used flatter and more horizontal brushwork. He also used weaker and slightly darker colors, creating some distinction from the actual mountains and sky.
- Around the back of the lake, Normann scumbled pale blues over the top to suggest wind brushing the water’s surface.
- There’s a concentration of activity and detail around the buildings and boats. This is also where the shoreline leads our eyes. If I had to pick a focal point, this would be it. Though it’s a weak focal point given the grand mountains behind competing for our attention.
- On the left-hand side, there’s an interesting play of color, with small bursts of saturated orange against a large area of cooler and weaker colors.
- The birds dancing above the water’s surface are a nice touch. There’s an interesting play in scale, with the grand mountains in the back and these tiny birds in the front. Also, notice how the birds are a similar size to the boats a bit further back. This is linear perspective at play (things appear smaller in the distance. This is an idea that we are all familiar with, but it is still important to actively think about).
Let me know your thoughts about the painting in the comments. If you ever want to learn more, check out our Landscape Painting Masterclass.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
I love your analysis of paintings. I learn so much from them Dan.
Thank you Dan for everything you teach to me . However ,In this painting, I see like green/gray color in the clouds and for me, the colors used in general in this painting is not harmony. But it is just my feeling about this painting.
Dear Dan, You are always very inspiring with these posts. I love the detail. Everything is there and there are is warmth in the scene both in the subject of life by a fjord and the warm colours coming through from the earth and in the details with the red house picking this up. It gives the feeling of being enclosed by the height and possible bad weather coming. Thank you for posting this terrific work. What a challenging subject.
I love this analysis as it breaks down the painting into visible subjects all on their own. It’s like a story with lots of plots: You have the mountains, the sky, the buildings the lake, and all of the beautiful little connecting pieces that you make us aware of. Thank you! I enjoy your posts and learn so much from them.
Happy St. Patricks Day!
Thank you for the continued support and insight you share with your paintings and the paintings of others, and sharing things to look for, and for sharing the different techniques one can use to get the effects they need! The insight you share helps me to think through/analyze my work to get desired effects and to progress! I can see the difference in my current work vs former!
Thank you so much, Dan, for sharing paintings by artists new to me. I am continually amazed by the talent that is out there.
I completely read your description before opening the painting. When I opened it,
I was really taken back by it’s interesting and amount of content, I was awed! There is such clarity and vibrance of the many colors in the entire painting. However, as much as I loved and enjoyed it, I did not like the way he painted the clouds.
I created a seperate file for his work and am going to study more of his techniques.
THANKS!
As the other commenters have said, I learn so much from your analysis of paintings. I could study this one for a long time! The first thing that struck me was the light, I don’t know how to define it, but it’s pure and clear – my eye goes to the white sail. Just beautiful. Fascinating that the sky is loose and the earth detailed, the brushwork makes me want to see the original. Inspiring!
I also appreciate this type of art narrative. This is the first I’ve seen and will certainly enjoy more. My main point would question the artist’s focus. Mountains or boat with village. What if he didn’t put so much texture and color into the mountains? They wouldn’t compete with the village. If it’s about the mountains, then don’t contrast the boat so much.
These discussions help with our own work. Thanks so much!
Hello Dan,thanks for the magnificent choice. I miss (?) the size of the painting wich is-to me- an important addition. Also the near white sail of the boatnear the house seems to me animportant detail, kind of a refernence…
For a few years I follow your journey in painting and I enjoy your efforts and comments. Thanks a lot.
Hi Gerty
I will get it added in, but it is: height: 72 cm (28.3 in); width: 96 cm (37.7 in)
Chontele 🙂
Wow. This painting is the most beautiful I have seen. Your interpretation leads me to agree that the scene at water’s edge is the focal point. However, the mountains are indeed awesome. I will look at this painting many times. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for sharing unique paintings with your followers (admirers).
Even though this painting is perfect in its detailed execution, it is not a painting I would buy and display in our home.
Angela