Studio: international art (12.1898)

Swedish Art

observe the characteristic national disposition dis- where the pictures were inspired by a country
played in the three Scandinavian divisions—the whose vast, undulating fields are only shaded by
Swedish, the Norwegian, and the Danish. These the mild outlines of beech woods, it is finite
divisions, about equal as to numbers, plainly show, different. On first passing through this division
when compared with the international division, everything seems tame and perhaps even stale;
how similar these three nations are, and yet how but on a second visit one is struck with astonish-
different when compared with each other. It is ment as one touching picture after the other
plain how dependent the art of a nation is upon awakens interest. There is peace and quiet in the
the nature of its country. The rocky coasts of colours, which, after the pigmental excesses in the
Norway cut up by deep fjords and fringed by dark, other divisions, has a good effect on the nerves ; it
dismal forests of pine and fir, are represented by is like stealing out from a gay ball on to a cool
an art which almost gives the impression of a balcony—one goes there again and again until one
straightforward, nearly brutal endeavour for a falls in love.

consummate effect. There is strength coupled The Swedes, on the other hand—well, how shall
with gravity, and one is compelled to respect, nay, I characterise their part of this art exhibition ? It
frequently to admire, but one seldom feels one's is most difficult to see the peculiarities of one's
heart grow warm. In the Danish halls, however, own countrymen ; I believe, however, that I will

come nearest to the truth
if I say that, as the scenery
of Sweden is partly melan-
choly and wild like that of
Norway, and partly mild
and effeminate like that of
Denmark, and moreover
constitutes a mixture of
these two extremes; so
also Swedish art dominates
a larger field than that of
our sister countries. The
colour is neither charac-
terised by the austerity of
the Norwegians nor the
discretion of the Danes;
it is more sprightly, more
capricious and varied.
The above refers to the
paintings of the three
countries, but something
similar could well be said
of their sculpture. This
part of the art exhibition
is, however, very unsatis-
factorily represented, espe-
cially as regards Norway
and Denmark. This may
doubtless be ascribed to
the difficulty and expense
of transporting works of
sculpture. I know that
sculpture stands higher in
our sister countries than
would be supposed from
the works sent to this ex-
hibition.