2024-04-25
The first cross-sectional exhibition of Nordic art from the turn of the 20th century is on at the National Museum in Warsaw until 5 March. Seeing the exhibition entitled "Solstice. Painting of the North 1880-1910" will allow visitors to explore the works of the most significant artists from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
According to the exhibition's creators, the title "solstice" refers to two aspects - firstly, to the summer solstice, an important phenomenon in Nordic culture, and secondly, to the rapid social processes and changes in the art of the area. It was at the turn of the 20th century that naturalism, impressionism and post-impressionism emerged in the art of the countries in question. The established concept of the exhibition is interesting, with works by both Polish and foreign artists presented in each thematic area. These areas include: "praise of the province", "experience of the landscape", "defining space", "expression of the interior", "search for roots", "native landscape' and "metaphysics of nature". The exhibition was supported by funds from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. An illustrated catalogue and exhibition guide are available for purchase in the museum shop and online. The event is accompanied by a series of lectures, guided tours and even a series of film screenings.
In the exhibition's press materials, a painting by Albert Edelfelt depicting two girls in a forest plays the main fiddle. Not surprisingly, this composition illustrates well the most important aspects of turn-of-the-century Nordic painting. Here we see an interest in nature and inspiration from Impressionism. The children depicted in the work in the foreground are hidden in shadow, it seems that the birch forest and the water behind them play the main role. It is the foreground that is bathed in Finnish sunlight. This painting, executed in oil on canvas, was commissioned by Empress Maria Fyodorovna Romanova (1847-1928), wife of Tsar Alexander III, in 1882.