Исландская осень

The Icelandic school of painting formed rather late. Due to peculiarities of Icelandic nature and national lifestyle, the representatives of this school constantly showed preference to the landscape genre. At the same time, they learned and adopted the variety of methods emerged in the European Modernism. The painters went back from additional details and interesting specialities and focused on ascetic and monumental nature, which becomes especially powerful and figurative, conveying a philosophical meaning.

Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876–1958), one of the founders of the Icelandic school of painting, was strongly influenced by French painting of the last third of the 19th century. It was reflected not only in the painter’s palette, but also in his technique. While depicting traditional landscapes of the island with its endless rugged mountains, the painter simplifies the forms intentionally to provide them a more heavy impression, emphasizing the primitive grandeur of the Icelandic nature.

Jóhannes Kjarval (1885–1972) is widely regarded to be the most outstanding Icelandic painter. The «Lava» is one of his latest works, created near the town Álftanes not far from Reykjavík. An enormous lava field situated in this region has attracted the painter’s attention for two decades. During his late period, Kjarval worked with thick and pastous brush strokes. This expressive painting technique brings all the elements of the panoramic landscape in motion, gives the composition internal dynamics and reflects the characteristic surface of lava covered land.

Gunnlaugur Scheving (1904–1972) made his debut as an artist participating in the exhibitions at the beginning of the 1930s. He worked a lot on a coast and soon went back from heroic subjects, preferring to depict the daily life of Icelandic fishermen. Because of the soft lightning and use of a restrained color palette, his masterpieces are notable for their unique lyricism symbolizing the unity of man and nature.