Frits Thaulow (20 October 1847 – 5 November 1906) was a Norwegian

Impressionist Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...

painter, best known for his naturalistic depictions of landscape.

Biography

Johan Frederik Thaulow was born in Christiania, the son of a wealthy chemist,

Harald Conrad Thaulow Harald Thaulow (30 June 1815 – 11 March 1881) was a Norwegian pharmacist. Biography Harald Conrad Thaulow was born in the Duchy of Schleswig, at that time a dominion of the Danish crown. He was the son of Johan Frederik Thaulow (1768–1833) a ...

(1815–1881), and Nicoline ("Nina") Louise Munch (1821–1894). Thaulow was educated at the Academy of Art in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

in 1870–1872, and from 1873 until 1875 he studied with

Hans Gude Hans Fredrik Gude (March 13, 1825August 17, 1903) was a Norwegian romanticist painter and is considered along with Johan Christian Dahl to be one of Norway's foremost landscape painters. He has been called a mainstay of Norwegian National Ro ...

at the Baden School of Art in

Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...

Thaulow was one of the earliest artists to paint in

Skagen Skagen () is the northernmost town in Denmark, on the east coast of the Skagen Odde peninsula in the far north of Jutland, part of Frederikshavn Municipality in North Denmark Region, Nordjylland, north of Frederikshavn and northeast of Aalbo ...

in the north of

Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...

, soon to become famous for its

Skagen Painters The Skagen Painters () were a group of Scandinavian artists who gathered in the village of Skagen, the northernmost part of Denmark, from the late 1870s until the turn of the century. Skagen was a summer destination whose scenic nature, local mi ...

. He arrived there in 1879 with his friend

Christian Krohg Christian Krohg (13 August 1852 – 16 October 1925) was a Norwegian naturalist painter, illustrator, author and journalist. Krohg was inspired by the realism art movement and often chose motifs from everyday life. He was the director and s ...

, who persuaded him to spend the summer and autumn there. They arrived from Norway in Thaulow's little boat. Thaulow, who had specialized in marine painting, turned to Skagen's favorite subjects, the fishermen and the boats on the shore. After his stay in Skagen, Thaulow returned to Norway in 1880. He became one of the leading young figures in the Norwegian art scene, together with

and

Erik Werenskiold Erik Theodor Werenskiold (11 February 1855 – 23 November 1938) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator. He is especially known for his drawings for the Asbjørnsen and Moe collection of '' Norske Folkeeventyr'', and his illustrations for ...

, and he helped establish the first ''National Art Exhibit'' (also known as ''

Høstutstillingen Høstutstillingen or Statens kunstutstilling ( English: ''The Autumn Exhibition'' or ''National Art Exhibition'') is an annual art exhibition in Oslo, Norway. The exhibition is Norway's largest marking of contemporary art and takes place each aut ...

'' or Autumn Exhibit) in 1882. Many of Thaulow's best-known Norwegian scenes are from

Åsgårdstrand Åsgårdstrand (historically spelled ''Aasgaardstrand'') is a small port List of towns and cities in Norway, town in both Horten Municipality, Horten and Tønsberg Municipality, Tønsberg municipalities in Vestfold county, Norway. The town is loc ...

, which had become an important center for artists and painters dating from the 1880s. Thaulow moved to France in 1892, living there until 1906. He soon discovered that the cityscapes of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

did not suit him. His best paintings were made in small towns such as

Montreuil-sur-Mer Montreuil-sur-Mer (; or ; ), Montreuil-on-the-Sea, is a subprefecture in the Pas-de-Calais Department in northern France. Though commonly called by this name since at least the twelfth century, it was legally known as Montreuil until 31 Decemb ...

(1892–94),

Dieppe Dieppe (; ; or Old Norse ) is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, northern France. Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to Newhaven in England ...

and surrounding villages (1894–98), Quimperle in

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

(1901) and

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne (, literally ''Beaulieu on Dordogne (river), Dordogne''; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Corrèze Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions of France, region, central France. Beaulieu is ...

in the

Corrèze Corrèze (; ) is a département in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on the bo ...

département (1903). One of his most famous works made after he moved to France was ''A village street in France''. In Dieppe Thaulow and his wife Alexandra made themselves popular: they were friends with artist

Charles Conder Charles Edward Conder (24 October 1868 – 9 February 1909) was an English-born painter, lithographer and designer. He emigrated to Australia and was a key figure in the Heidelberg School, arguably the beginning of a distinctively Australi ...

, and they met

Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...

. Thaulow received a number of honors for his artistic activity, including his appointment as commander of the 2nd

Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

in 1905. He received the

French Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

, the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, a ...

from Italy and the Order of Nichan Iftikhar from

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

. He died in

Volendam Volendam () is a tourist town in the Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of Edam-Volendam, Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, known for its streets, old fishing boats and the traditional clothing wor ...

, in The Netherlands. The

National Gallery of Norway The National Gallery () is a gallery in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. History It was established in 1842 following a parliamentary decision from 1836. Originally lo ...

features 37 of his works. Other prominent displays include the

Hermitage Museum The State Hermitage Museum ( rus, Государственный Эрмитаж, r=Gosudarstvennyj Ermitaž, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj ɪrmʲɪˈtaʂ, links=no) is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and holds the large ...

St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...

, the Museum of Fine Arts in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

and the

Busch-Reisinger Museum The Harvard Art Museums are part of Harvard University and comprise three museums: the Fogg Museum (established in 1895), the Busch-Reisinger Museum (established in 1903), and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum (established in 1985), and four research ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Personal life

Thaulow was married twice. In 1874 he married Ingeborg Charlotte Gad (1852–1908). They were the parents of silent film actress

Else Frölich Else Frölich (August 31, 1880 – September 15, 1960), was a Norwegian-Danish star of silent film. Biography She was born Eli Marie Thaulow to a Danish mother, Ingeborg Charlotte Gad (1852–1908), and a Norwegian father, the impressionist p ...

. The marriage dissolved in 1886. In 1886, he married Alexandra Lasson (1862–1955), the daughter of Carl Lasson (1830–1893), a noted Norwegian attorney. He had three children with his second wife: Harald Thaulow (1887–1971), Ingrid Thaulow (1892–1983) and Christian Lasson Thaulow (1895–1944).Alexandra Lasson on Geni website.

Selected gallery

File:Frits Thaulow - Fransk havn (Le Havre) - NG.M.04252 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Fransk havn (Le Havre)'' 1875 File:Portrait of Frederik Collett by Frits Thaulow.jpg, ''Portrait of Frederik Collett'' 1875 File:Frits Thaulow - The King, from Akershus fortress - LKM.Dep33 - Lillehammer Kunstmuseum.jpg, ''The King, from Akershus fortress'' 1878 File:On the coast. Motif from Jaeren, Norway (Frits Thaulow) - Nationalmuseum - 18712.tif, ''On the coast. Motif from Jaeren, Norway'' 1879 File:Frits Thaulow - Night (1880s).jpg, ''Night'' 1880 File:Frits Thaulow - Sommerdag i hagen - LKM.000313 - Lillehammer Kunstmuseum.jpg, ''Sommerdag i hagen'' 1880 File:Frits Thaulow - View of Amerikavej in Copenhagen - KMS1740 - Statens Museum for Kunst.jpg, ''View of Amerikavej in Copenhagen'' 1881 File:Frits Thaulow Revierhavnen JWC.099.jpg, ''Revierhavnen'' 1881 File:Frits Thaulow - The Train is arriving - Google Art Project.jpg, ''The Train is arriving'' 1881 File:'Summer Day' by Frits Thaulow, 1881, Bergen Kunstmuseum.JPG, ''Summer Day'' 1881 File:Frits Thaulow - The Park of the Royal Palace, Oslo - NG.M.03139 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''The Park of the Royal Palace, Oslo'' 1882 File:Frits Thaulow - Houses in Kragerø - NG.M.00859 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Houses in Kragerø'' 1882 File:Rock, Motif from Kragerö (Frits Thaulow) - Gothenburg Museum of Art - F 146.tif, ''Rock, Motif from Kragero'' 1882 File:Frits Thaulow - Street in Kragerø - NG.M.00299 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Street in Kragero'' 1882 File:Frits Thaulow - Factories in Ivry - NG.M.02235 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Factories in Ivry'' 1883 File:Frits Thaulow - Winter at the River Simoa - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Winter at the River Simoa'' 1883 File:Frits Thaulow - River (c. 1883).jpg, ''A River'' 1883 File:Frits Thaulow - The Waterfall Haugsfossen - NG.M.00304 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''The Waterfall Haugfossen'' 1883 File:Frits Thaulow - Iskjøring - LKM.000956 - Lillehammer Kunstmuseum.jpg, ''Iskjøring'' ''1884'' File:Frits Thaulow - View from the Alster - NG.M.01430 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''View from the Alster'' 1885 File:Frits Thaulow - Elv.jpg, ''Elv'' 1886 File:Frits Thaulow - Winter - NG.M.00860 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Winter'' 1886 File:Frits Thaulow - Vinter, Vestre Aker - NG.M.01137 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Vinter, Vestre Aker'' 1886-1887 File:Frits Thaulow - Spring Thaw - NMB 306 - Nationalmuseum.jpg, ''Spring Thaw'' 1887 File:Frits Thaulow-Norsk vinterlandskap 1890.jpg, ''Norsk vinterlandskap'' 1890 File:Frits Thaulow - The Sailing Boat - NG.M.01248 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''The Sailing Boat'' 1890 File:Frits Thaulow - Løvsprett - TKM-32-1891 - Trondheim kunstmuseum (cropped).jpg, ''Løvsprett'' 1891 File:Fritz Thaulow - Bank im Schnee, aus dem Elbpark.jpg, ''Bank im Schnee, aus dem Elbpark'' 1891 File:Fritz Thaulow - The Mills at Montreuil-sur-Mer, Normandy - 84.136 - Minneapolis Institute of Arts.jpg, ''The Mills at Montreuil-sur-Mer, Normandy'' 1891 File:Thaulow, Mill Holland.jpg, ''Landschap met molen, Holland'' 1892 File:Frits Thaulow - Freezing river (c. 1892).jpg, ''Freezing River'' 1892 File:'Timber Haulers Returning Home' by Frits Thaulow, Bergen Kunstmuseum.JPG, ''Timber Haulers Returning Home'' 1892 File:Fritz Thaulow Watermill 1892.jpg, ''Watermill'' 1892 File:Frits Thaulow Ambiance Du Soir 1893.png, ''Ambiance Du Soir'' 1893 File:Frits Thaulow - Outside the Fortification Walls at Montreuil - NG.M.01252 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Outside the Fortification Walls at Montreuil'' 1893 File:BRO I VERONA (PONTE PIETRA, VERONA).PNG, ''Ponte Pietra, Verona'' 1894 File:Frits Thaulow - Area of Venice (1894).jpg, ''Area of Venice'' 1894 File:Frits Thaulow - The Main Square, Montreuil (La Grande Place, Montreuil) - 2004.36 - Rhode Island School of Design Museum.jpg, ''The Main Square, Montreuil (La Grande Place, Montreuil)'' 1894 File:Frits Thaulow - The Adige River at Verona - Walters 3797.jpg, ''The Adige River at Verona'' 1894 File:Frits Thaulow - Red Church Wall in Venice - NG.M.00737 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Red Church Wall in Venice'' 1894 File:Frits Thaulow - Street in Venice - NG.M.01247 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Street in Venice'' 1894 File:River in Normandy by Frits Thaulow, 1894, oil on canvas - Huntington Museum of Art - DSC05218.JPG, ''River in Normandy'' 1894 File:Frits Thaulow Kveldstemning, Dieppe 1894-1898.png, ''Kveldstemning, Dieppe'' 1894-1898 File:Frits Thaulow - July 14th in Dieppe - NG.M.01249 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''July 14th in Dieppe'' 1894-1898 File:Frits Thaulow, 1895c - The Old Church by the River.jpg, ''The Old Church by the River'' 1895 File:Frits Thaulow-Fra Dieppe med elven Arques.jpg, ''Fra Dieppe med elven Arques'' 1895 File:Frits Thaulow - A Château in Normandy.jpg, ''A Château in Normandy'' 1895 File:Frits Thaulow View of Venice.png, ''View of Venice'' 1895 File:Frits Thaulow - Norwegian Winter - NG.M.01243 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Norwegian Winter'' 1896 File:Frits Thaulow Måneskinn Dieppe 1896.png, ''Måneskinn Dieppe'' 1896 File:Thaulow, Vieille fabrique sur la Somme (soir).JPG, ''Vieille fabrique sur la Somme'' 1896-1897 File:Frits Thaulow - Boulevard de la Madeleine à Paris (1890s).jpg, ''Boulevard de la Madeleine à Paris'' 1896-1897 File:Frits Thaulow - Midnight in Amiens - NG.M.00483 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Midnight in Amiens'' 1897 File:Frits Thaulow - Village on the Bank of a Stream - Walters 37175.jpg, ''Village on the Bank of a Stream'' 1897 File:Frits Thaulow - Mountain stream, Winter (1898).jpg, ''Mountain stream, Winter'' 1898 File:Frits Thaulow - Field of Melons near Pittsburgh, USA - NG.M.01241 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Field of Melons near Pittsburgh, USA'' 1898 File:Frits Thaulow - Village Street in overcast Weather - NG.M.01244 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Village Street in overcast Weather'' 1898 File:Frits Thaulow - Gare d'Orleans in Paris under Construction - NG.M.01242 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Gare d'Orleans in Paris under Construction'' 1898 File:Picquigny - MET DP-22562-001.jpg, ''Picquigny'' 1899 File:Ponte Scaligero (Verona) by Frits Thaulow.jpg, ''Ponte Scaligero (Verona)'' 1899 File:Frits Thaulow - Fra Akerselven.jpg, ''Fra Akerselven'' 1897-1901 File:PRÆSTEGAARD I NORGE (CLERGY HOUSE IN NORWAY).png, ''Clergy House in Norway'' 1900 File:Frits Thaulow - Treschow's Bridge - LKM.000314 - Lillehammer Kunstmuseum.jpg, ''Treschow's Bridge'' 1901 File:Frits Thaulow - From Brittany - NG.M.01253 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''From Brittany'' 1901 File:Frits Thaulow - Den gamle fabrikk - LKM.000315 - Lillehammer Kunstmuseum.jpg, ''Den gamle fabrikk'' 1901 File:A Stream in Springtime.JPG, ''A Stream in Springtime'' 1901 File:FritzThaulowQuimperlé.jpg, ''Washerwomen at Quimperle'' 1902 File:Thaulow, Paysage.JPG, ''Paysage'' 1903 File:Frits Thaulow-La Dordogne.jpg, ''La Dordogne'' 1903 File:Frits Thaulow-Marmortrappen.jpg, ''Marmortrappen'' 1903 File:Frits Thaulow - Square in Cordova - NG.M.00714 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Square in Cordova'' 1903 File:Frits Thaulow - Nyholms Vagt - LKM.001013 - Lillehammer Kunstmuseum.jpg, ''Nyholms Vagt'' 1904 File:Frits Thaulow - En gate i måneskinn - A street in moonlight.jpg, ''Moonlight in Beaulieu'' 1904 File:Place Marbot by Frits Thaulow.tif, ''Place Marbot'' 1904 File:Thaulow, Dordrecht.jpg, ''Dordrecht'' 1905 File:Frits Thaulow - Small town near La Panne, 1905.jpg, ''Small Town near La Panne'' 1905 File:THAULOW Fritz Fabriques en Norvège, les deux moulins sur la rivière Mesma Huile sur toile.jpg, ''Fabriques en Norvège, les deux moulins sur la rivière Mesma'' 1905 File:Frits Thaulow - La nouvelle fabrique à Lillehammer - PPP459 - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris.jpg, ''La nouvelle fabrique à Lillehammer'' 1905-1906 File:Frits Thaulow - Canal in Volendam - NG.M.00735 - National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.jpg, ''Canal in Volendam'' 1906 File:Frits Thaulow Towards the Pont Lovignon in Quimperlé.jpg, ''Towards the Pont Lovignon in Quimperlé'' 1906 File:Frits Thaulow - rialto.jpg, ''Under the Rialto Bridge of Venice'' File:Frits Thaulow Hiver à Paris.png, ''Winter in Paris'' File:Thaulow Le Curé.jpg, ''The Priest'' File:Frits Thaulow-Paysage et rivière.jpg, ''Paysage et Riviere'' File:Frits Thaulow - The River at Beaulieu - 1928.60.1 - Reading Public Museum.jpg, ''The River at Beaulieu'' File:Frits Thaulow A French River Landscape.jpg, ''A French River Landscape'' File:Place Marbot by Frits Thaulow.tif, ''Place Marbot'' File:Frits Thaulow Midnight Mass.JPG, ''Midnight Mass'' File:The Orchard by Fritz Thaulow.jpg, ''La Verger (An Orchard)'' File:Frits thaulow a river in normandy with a woman carrying water041120).jpg, ''A River in Normandy with a Woman Carrying Water'' File:Fritz thaulow sunset over lelle river near quimperle france d6462364095606).jpg, ''Sunset over L'Elle river, near Quimperlé, France'' File:Thaulow Franskt flodlandskap med stenbro.jpg, ''French river landscape with a stone bridge'' File:Fritz Thaulow-Soleil couchant sur l'Arques à Péquigny.jpg, ''Soleil couchant sur l'Arques à Péquigny'' File:Frits Thaulow-Kanal med vannmølle.jpg, ''Kanal med vannmølle'' File:Shadows (Frits Thaulow) - Nationalmuseum - 18547.tif, ''Shadows'' File:Winter on the Canal by Frits Thaulow, pastel.jpg, ''Winter on the Canal'' File:Village by a Stream7).jpg, ''Village by a Stream'' File:Ferme aux toits rouges sur les bords de l’Arques, fin d’été.JPG, ''Ferme aux toits rouges sur les bords de l’Arques, fin d’été'' File:A River Landscape with a Church Beyond).jpg, ''A River Landscape with a Church Beyond'' File:Frits Thaulow - Rio en invierno.jpg, ''Rio en invierno''

References

Other sources

* Pakenham, Simona. ''Sixty Miles from England: The English at Dieppe 1814-1914'', (London, Macmillan, 1967). * Poulsson, Vidar ''Frits Thaulow: 1847-1906'' (B.A. Mathisen. 1992) . * Poulsson, Vidar; Thune, Richard M. ''Frits Thaulow'' (Hirschl & Adler Galleries; 1985). * Haverkamp, Frode (trans. Joan Fuglesang) ''Hans Fredrik Gude: From National Romanticism to Realism in Landscape'' (Aschehoug. 1992) .

External links

Kulturnett.no

''Small town square''
, Fritz Thaulow on the official website of the Musée Rodin. {{DEFAULTSORT:Thaulow, Frits 1847 births 1906 deaths Recipients of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Officers of the Legion of Honour Norwegian landscape painters Norwegian Impressionist painters Painters from Oslo Skagen Painters 19th-century Norwegian painters 19th-century Norwegian male artists 20th-century Norwegian painters Norwegian male painters 20th-century Norwegian male artists