016   Adolph Tidemand "Lystringen" (night fishing). 1849.

Adolph Tidemand 1814 Mandal – 1876 Christiania

Oil on canvas. Signed with brush "A. Tidemand" and dated on the bottom right. Unframed.
Probably catalogue raisonné ...
by Dietrichson No. 323.
See also Boetticher II, Volume 2, Tidemand, A., No.11, two paintings with the same motif.

Having finished his studies at the academy of Fine arts in Düsseldorf (1837-41), Adolph Tidemand went on a journey through his home country Norway. The naturalness of the landscape and the simple, peaceful life of the peasant poulation gave occasion to numerous studies and paintings. He put emphasis to capture the essence of a person, to achieve the greatest possible individualisation. In the course of his tireless creation and multiple realization of one motif his artistic reputation grew in Germany as well as in Norway.

Having become a permanent resident of Düsseldorf, Tidemand was assigned by the Norwegian King Oscar I. to provide the dining-hall of the summer residence Oscarshall near Oslo with artistic decorations in 1848. Portraying the stages of human life, ten paintings were finished in 1850. Besides childhood, wedding and childbirth, one creation shows the family life on the basis of a joint fishing at night. Shortly after completion the paintings were used as model for a poetic cycle released in 1852.

The painting at hand is probably the first known study of the fishing motif. Tidemands ability to convert life, customs and dressing of the rural population into intimate and poetic scenes is the main source of his reputation of the leading genre painter of the Norwegian nationalromantic period down to the present day.

We are grateful to Dr. Bettina Baumgärtel, Düsseldorf, and Dr. des. Anja Gerdemann, Darmstadt for their suggestions. > Read more

Painting without any restorative treatment.
Painting layer with early shrinkage crackling to the top right and more inconspiciously to the top left. Two little paint loss to the lower center, a larger one to the right. Several scratches to the surface. Canvas with few bulges (dents) to the bottom as well to the left, another inconspicious one to the left of the boy.

24,5 x 39 cm.