King Charles XV (1826-1872) was known for his paintings, but elements of his artistic output have remained obscure until now. A researcher at Uppsala University has now discovered great similarities between one of the king's most famous works, Norwegian Landscape, and that of the painting from Romsdalen by Norwegian artist Thomas Fearnley (1802-1842) . This has led to new insights into the king's artistic life and networks.
"I made the discovery while writing a text on Charles XV's landscape paintings, and specifically the painting Norwegian Landscape, for the reopening of Museum Gustavianum.There was very little written about the painting, but as I had previously researched landscape painting in Norway, I was curious and wanted to find out more. I can now say that it is a view from Romsdalen. Particularly significant are the two mountain peaks known as Kongen and Dronningen (King and Queen). They are also found in the similar landscape painting by the Norwegian artist Thomas Fearnley, which is in the National Museum in Oslo," explains Eva-Charlotta Mebius, researcher and lecturer in Art History at Uppsala University, who recently published a scholarly article on the painting in Burlington Magazine.
Prince Charles was born in 1826, becoming Viceroy of Norway in 1856 and later King of both Sweden and Norway in 1859. He was known for his painting, while his poetry was published in eight different languages. When he became Viceroy of Norway, he completed the first part of his 'Eriksgata' tour through the country. This journey was very well documented. The touring company included his friend, the artist and officer Fritz von Dardel, and the court photographer Mathias Hansen. von Dardel's accounts of the journey describe how the Viceroy took every opportunity to capture images of the region.
"The painting is signed 1857. I wanted to find out whether it might have had some connection with the first stage of Charles XV's 'Eriksgata'. He had been appointed Viceroy of Norway in 1856, and in that same year he began to exhibit his paintings at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. So this was simply a painting created during an eventful period in his life," continues Mebius.
She began by mapping all the valleys that Charles XV, who had not yet become King of Sweden, visited during his tour. In his travelogue, von Dardel described the valleys that the company particularly liked, and Romsdalen was one of them. Following her investigation, Mebius compiled a catalogue of existing paintings from these valleys by searching various museum collections. She quickly came upon Fearnley's painting Fra Romsdal ('From Romsdal') (1838) in the National Museum in Oslo and was struck by the similarity between the paintings. By exploring other drawings and photographs in the National Museum's collection, she began to further identify the landscape. Topographical studies also formed part of the research.
"I can show that it is a specific view of Isterdalen and the mountain peaks of Kongen and Dronningen that the Viceroy has depicted. Thomas Fearnley had passed away 15 years earlier, so it is unlikely that he would be involved in the painting. However, we do not know how much inspiration Charles XV may have drawn from Fearnley's earlier painting. As Viceroy, he spent much time in Norway between 1856 and 1857, so it's possible that he saw the painting in some context. However, I have not yet been able to find any written evidence that he had seen the painting, so it may simply be that they just happened to be sketching in the same part of the valley."
Why haven't these paintings been linked before when they are so strikingly similar?
"That's a great question. I have also asked myself that question during the course of my work. It's not easy to answer, but I can say that I'm glad it's been done now, because the connection between the paintings sheds light on an important period in Norwegian and Swedish history and Nordic art history," replies Mebius.
Mebius Eva-Charlotta (2024); Charles XV's 'Norwegian landscape' in the Museum Gustavianum, Uppsala, Burlington Magazine, 07/2024 | 1456 | 166, Pages: 696-703, https://www.burlington.org.uk/ (added below)
