Adolph Tidemand

Adolph Tidemann
Adolph Tidemand self portrait
Born	14 August 1814 Mandal, Vest-Agder, Norway
Died	8 August 1876 Oslo, Norway
Nationality	Norwegian
Field	Painting
Training	Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
Movement	Norwegian romanticist
Works	Landscape paintings

Adolph Tidemand (1814–1876) was a noted Norwegian romantic nationalism painter. Among his best known paintings are Haugianerne (The Haugeans painted in 1852) and Brudeferd i Hardanger (The Bridal Procession in Hardanger painted in 1848) with Hans Gude.^[1]

Biography

Adolph Tidemand was born in Mandal, Norway as the son of customs inspector and Storting representative Christen Tidemand (1779–1838) and Johanne Henriette Henrikke Haste (1779–1859). He received private art lessons in his home town and his talent was soon recognized. He then was enrolled in an art school in Christiania, moving on to Copenhagen in the period 1832-37. Upon arrival in Copenhagen, he was rejected by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and studied at a private school of art, but by 1833 he was a pupil at the Academy, earning Academy exhibitions in 1835 and 1836. He studied there for five years and then began a journey to Italy to study further. But when Tidemand came to Düsseldorf, Germany, he liked it so much that he settled down there.^[2]

From 1837-1841 he continued his studies at the art academy in Düsseldorf, which at the time enjoyed widespread international recognition. He studied with and was influenced by his teacher, Theodor Hildebrandt. Here he prepared the well known Hjemvendte fiskere ved den sjællandske kyst (1838). The painting Gustav Vasa taler til dalalmuen i Mora kirke (1841), was sold to a German museum, but was later returned to Christiania. He is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting.

In the autumn of 1841 he studied in Italy along with his brother Emil. Few of his works from this period remain, except for the picture Napolitansk fisker (1842). Tidemand was preoccupied by Norwegian history, particularly after returning on a journey to Norway. During a journey to 1843 in Hardanger, he met the 18-year-old Hans Gude. This resulted in a close friendship and cooperation that eventually resulted in several joint working.

During 1842-45 he traveled extensively in Norway (Østerdalen, Gudbrandsdalen, Sogn, Hardanger and Telemark). More of his works survive from this period, including: Eventyrfortellersken (1844), Søndagskveld i en hardangersk røkstue (1843), and Gudstjeneste i en norsk landsens kirke (1845). In his later travels in southern Norway, the last in 1875, Tidemand studied folk costumes, domestic utensils and building and made himself familiar with oral traditions, folk tales and legends. His version of rusticity proved highly popular and in 1848 he was commissioned by Oskar I, King of Sweden and Norway, to paint a series of Norwegian peasant life for the royal palace of Oscarshall, near Christiania.

Today Adolph Tidemand is best known for this depiction of Norwegian farm and culture and is counted among the first Norwegian historic painters. In Tidemand’s paintings of the old Norwegian farm culture, he portrayed the peasant with a new dignity, humane and culturally. The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Nasjonalgalleriet ) in Oslo alone owns over 100 of his works.^[3]

Personal life

He married in 1845 with his childhood sweetheart, Claudine Marie Bergitte Jæger (1817–1887). The couple settled in Dusseldorf in 1845. Their only child, a son, Adolph, died during 1874 death at 28 years old. Tidemann was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (Den Kongelige Norske St. Olavs Orden) in 1849, the French Legion of Honor (Légion d'honneur) in 1855 and the Swedish Order of the Polar Star (Nordstjärneorden) in 1866.^[4]

Better known works

Brudeferden i Hardanger (Bridal party, with Hans Gude. 1848)

Haugianerne (The Haugeans. 1852)

• 1838– Hjemvendte fiskere ved den sjællandske kyst
• 1841 – Gustav Vasa taler til dalkarlene i Mora kirke
• 1843 – Søndagskveld i en hardangersk røkstue
• 1844 – Eventyrfortellersken
• 1845 – Søndagskveld i en røykstue i Hardanger
• 1846 – Norsk juleskikk
• 1848 – Brudeferden i Hardanger (painted together with Hans Gude)
• 1848 – Signe Halvorsdatter Valle i Sætersdalen
• 1848 – Haugianerne (painted again in 1852)
• 1849 – De ensomme gamle (Also known as Husandakt)
• 1849 – Ingeborg Andersdatter Gulsvik, Flå, som brud
• 1851 – Aften på Krøderen (painted together with Hans Gude)
• 1852 – series Bondeliv i Oscarshall
• 1852 – Haugianerne
• 1853 – Likferd på Sognefjorden (painted together with Hans Gude)
• 1854 – Den foreldreløse
• 1859 – Fiskere i havsnød (painted together with Hans Gude)
• 1865 – Bestemors brudekrone
• 1865 – Fanatikerne
• 1874 – Syneve
• 1874 – Nød

Gallery

• 

  Norsk juleskik (Norwegian Christmas customs. 1846)

• 

  Fiskere i havsnød (Fishing with a harpoon. 1851)

• 

  Parti fra Oslo Strandgate (View from Oslo Strandgate street. 1852)

• 

  Likferd Pa Sognefjorden (Sognefjord, with Hans Gude. 1853)

• 

  Norske Folkelivsbilleder (Norwegian folk pictures. 1854)

• 

  Bestefaderens Erindringer (Grandfather's Memories. 1865)

• 

  Skovinteriör (Forest interior. 1869)

• 

  Sinclairs landing i Romsdal (Sinclair's landing. 1876 - see George Sinclair (mercenary))

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Adolph Tidemand

Other sources

• Askeland, Jan Adolph Tidemand og hans tid (Oslo: Aschehoug. 1991) ISBN 978-82-03-16670-9
• Askeland, Jan Norsk Malerkunst, Hovedlinjen gjennom 200år – uten stedsangivelse (Oslo: Aschehoug. 1981) ISBN 82-02-04898-2.
• Dietrichson, Lorentz Adolph Tidemand, Hans Liv Og Hans Værker, Volumes 1-2 (Nabu Press. 1923) ISBN 978-1-145-67978-8
• Noss, Aagot Adolph Tidemand og folk han møtte, studiar frå reisene i norske dalføre, akvarellar, målarstykke og teikningar (Universitetsforlaget. 1981) ISBN 82-00-05712-7
• Haverkamp, Frode Adolph Tidemand 1814-1876, Hans Fredrik Gude 1825-1903 (Blaafarveværket, 1984) ISBN 82-990568-6-1