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The North Cape

Peder Balke Norwegian
1845
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
This is one of Balke’s largest easel paintings, and it is certainly among his most accomplished and sophisticated works made in a descriptive, naturalistic style. The view is animated by the rough waves and sea-sculpted rocks, the majestic forms of the clouds, the arc of seabirds, and the sunrise. The rich but delicate brushwork does not compete with these details for the viewer’s attention, as the more prominent facture does in paintings Balke made soon after. Although this is a singular picture within Balke’s oeuvre, the circumstances of its execution and reception remain unknown.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The North Cape
  • Artist: Peder Balke (Norwegian, Helgøya, Nes 1804–1887 Oslo (Kristiania))
  • Date: 1845
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 37 3/8 × 52 in. (95 × 132 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: The Savings Bank Foundation DNB, Norway
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings