Nikolai Astrup | |
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 Nikolai Astrup 1910 | |
| Born | Nikolai Johannes Kristiansson Astrup (1880-08-30)August 30, 1880 Kalvåg, Bremanger, Norway |
| Died | January 21, 1928(1928-01-21) (aged 47) Førde, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway |
| Resting place | Ålhus Cemetery, Jølster, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway |
| Education | Harriet Backer's Painting school,Académie Julian,Académie Colarossi,Arthur Lewin-Funcke's school of Painting |
| Style | Naturalistic naïvist |
| Movement | Neo-romanticism |
| Spouse | Engel Marie Andersdatter Astrup (Née Sunde) |
| Children | Kari Petra Geelmuyden (Née Astrup), Turid Jakobsen (Née Astrup), Eva Siri Matisen (Née Astrup), Dagfinn Harald Astrup, Arnold Astrup, Christian Eirik Winther Astrup, Peder Conrad Astrup, Nicolai Egil Astrup |
| Patron | Olaf Schou |
| Memorials | Galley 4 at KODE in Bergen, Norway |
| Website | https://nikolai-astrup.no/en |
Nikolai Astrup (Norwegian pronunciation:[nɪkʊˈlɑ̀i̯ˈɑ̀stɾʉp]) (30 August 1880 – 21 January 1928) was aNorwegian modernistpainter. Astrup was a distinctive, innovative artist noted principally for his intense use of color depicting the lush landscapes ofVestlandet featuring the traditional way of life in the region.[1]
Nikolai Johannes Astrup was born in the village ofKalvåg on the island ofFrøya in Norway. Astrup grew up inÅlhus in ruralJølster Municipality between theSognefjord and theNordfjord. He was the eldest son of eleven children born to Christian Astrup (1844–1919) who was a parish priest atÅlhus Church in Jølster. Astrup was the great-grandson ofNils Astrup (1778–1835), a member of theNorwegian Parliament. Astrup's father wanted him to become a priest and sent him toTrondheim Cathedral School from 1895 to 1897. However, Astrup failed his Latin exams as he was more interested in drawing and painting. In 1899, Astrup left for Kristiania (now Oslo) where he matriculated as student at theRoyal Academy of Design. Astrup quickly left to joinHarriet Backer's painting school where he studied until 1901. Astrup lived inParis where he studied at theAcadémie Julian and was a student ofChristian Krohg atAcadémie Colarossi from 1901 to 1902. Astrup later traveled toBerlin,Dresden,Munich, andHamburg.[2][3][4][5] By 1902, he had returned to and settled in Jølster. In 1911, Astrup studied underLovis Corinth in Berlin atArthur Lewin-Funcke's school of Painting.
Astrup held three significant exhibitions during his lifetime; at Kristiania 1905 and 1911 and at Bergen in 1908. In 1907, he was married to Engel Sunde with whom he had eight children. Astrup struggled with tuberculosis and general poor health as hisasthma worsened. In 1913, Astrup settled with his wife and children in Sandalstrand (now Astruptunet) on the south side of LakeJølstravatn across from the village ofÅlhus. He died ofpneumonia in 1928 at the age of 47 in the neighboringFørde Municipality.[6][7] Astrup was buried inÅlhus Cemetery, in Jølster, Norway.
Astrup preferred clear, strong colors and usually madelandscape art depicting his surroundings in Jølster. Having spent the majority of his life in Jølster, the landscape proved a strong influence and through his paintings he sought 'a national "visual language" that evoked the traditions and folklore of his homeland'.[8]
His paintings describe an intimate interaction between nature and the developed environment, characterized by bold lines and distinctive rich color. Astrup is regarded as aneo-romantic painter, but he also worked withwoodcuts. Astrup is looked upon as one of the greatestNorwegian artists of the early 1900s, and several of his paintings have been sold at auctions for approximately US$500,000. Astrup's works have been likened to those of his contemporaryEdvard Munch, though Astrup's style has been described as being 'so much brighter – not just in colour, but also in mood'.[9]
The first exhibition of Astrup's work outside ofNorway took place in London atDulwich Picture Gallery, from 5 February - 15 May 2016.[10] The exhibition displayed over 90 oil paintings and prints, including works from private collections never publicly exhibited.[11] In 2021 Astrup's work was the subject of the large survey exhibitionNikolai Astrup: Visions of Norway at theClark Art Institute inWilliamstown, Massachusetts in the United States.[12][13]
KODE, Bergen's largest museum for paintings, has devoted one wing entirely to Astrup's life and work.[14][15]
In 2018,Mount Eerie released a song titled "Two Paintings by Nikolai Astrup" from their albumNow Only.
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