Monolith and Trees
Thomas Fearnley Norwegian
Not on view
Fearnley painted this work in either Norway or Germany. Northern Romantic artists were drawn to monoliths—large stones revered since Neolithic times—in large part because their pedigree was unconnected to classical antiquity.
It is likely, though by no means certain, that Fearnley and Balke were acquainted. They had parallel careers and Dahl was a mentor to both artists. However, Fearnley's scrupulous brushwork was far closer to Dahl's, even in studies painted outdoors, as this work likely was. By contrast, as far as it is known, Balke did not take up plein-air painting.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.