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Johan Fredrik Krouthén, View of a Garden, Linköping, 1887-88. Photo: Hans Thorwid/Nationalmuseum.
Johan Fredrik Krouthén, View of a Garden, Linköping, 1887-88. Photo: Hans Thorwid/Nationalmuseum.

Press release -

The exhibition From Dawn to Dusk opens February 19 at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle

On February 19 the exhibition From Dawn to Dusk opens at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle. It is organized by Nationalmuseum in Sweden and includes works held in the collection of the museum. The exhibition’s 56 paintings, by the Nordic region’s leading artists of the late 19th century, include works by Vilhelm Hammershøi, Hanna Hirsch-Pauli, Carl Larsson, August Strindberg, Anders Zorn, and many others.

From Dawn to Dusk: Nordic Art from Sweden’s Nationalmuseum presents 56 paintings by Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish artists held in the collection of the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Sweden. The exhibition traces the final decades of the 19th century, a period of radical development in art of the Nordic countries, through scenes of everyday life, portraits, and landscapes by Vilhelm Hammershøi, Hanna Hirsch-Pauli, Carl Larsson, August Strindberg, Anders Zorn, and many others.

Beginning with the paintings of Nordic artists working in the realist style dominant in 19th-century France, the exhibition then turns to follow the work of those artists who spent time abroad and returned home to see their native countries with new eyes. This return launched a new approach to painting, particularly in the depiction of the landscape, a genre that has come to be regarded as quintessentially Nordic. Around 1890, a national style developed. Nature and the countryside figure prominently in turn-of-the-century Nordic art, but From Dawn to Dusk also highlights the growing interest of Nordic artists in depicting the growth and activity of modern cities.

From Dawn to Dusk: Nordic Art from Sweden’s Nationalmuseum is organized by the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Sweden, and the National Nordic Museum. This exhibition is curated by the Nationalmuseum’s Curator Carl-Johan Olsson. The presentation at the National Nordic Museum—the premiere North American venue for the exhibition—is coordinated by Leslie Anne Anderson, Director of Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs.

The National Nordic Museum’s presentation of From Dawn to Dusk has been made possible by Ann-Charlotte Gavel Adams, Peter and Sophia Ku in honor of Mrs. Viola Evelyn Greathouse, Maria Staaf and William Jones, The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Scan Design Foundation, and the Robert Lehman Foundation.

Media enquiries
Hanna Tottmar, head of press, press@nationalmuseum.se, +46 8 5195 4400

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Nationalmuseum is Sweden’s museum of art and design. The collections comprise some 700 000 objects, including paintings, sculpture, drawings and graphic art from the 16th century up to the beginning of the 20th century and the collection of applied art and design up to the present day. Nationalmuseum’s responsibility is to preserve and make art accessible and provide knowledge.

Contacts

Head of Press

Head of Press

Press contact Hanna Tottmar +46 (0)8 5195 4400

Welcome to Nationalmuseum Sweden!

Nationalmuseum is Sweden’s museum of art and design. The collections include paintings, sculpture, drawings and graphic art from the 16th century up to the beginning of the 20th century and the collection of applied art and design up to the present day. The total amount of objects is around 700,000. .

The emphasis of the collection of paintings is on Swedish 18th and 19th century painting. Dutch painting from the 17th century is also well represented, and the French 18th century collection is regarded as one of the best in the world. The works are made by artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Goya, Boucher, Watteau, Renoir and Degas as well as Swedish artists such as Anders Zorn, Carl Larsson, Ernst Josephson and Carl Fredrik Hill.

The collection of applied art and design consists of objects such as ceramics, textiles, glass and precious and non-precious metals as well as furniture and books etc. The collection of prints and drawings comprises works by Rembrandt, Watteau, Manet, Sergel, Carl Larsson, Carl Fredrik Hill and Ernst Josephson. Central are the 2,000 master drawings that Carl Gustaf Tessin acquired during his tour of duty as Sweden's ambassador to France in the 18th century.

Art and objects from Nationalmuseum’s collections can also be seen at several royal palaces such as Gripsholm, Drottningholm, Strömsholm, Rosersberg and Ulriksdal as well as in the Swedish Institute in Paris. The museum administers the Swedish National Portrait Gallery at Gripsholm Castle, the world’s oldest national portrait gallery and the Gustavsberg collection with approximately 45,000 objects manufactured at the Gustavsberg Porcelain Factory. Nationalmuseum also curates exhibitions at Nationalmuseum Jamtli and the Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum.

Nationalmuseum is a government authority with a mandate to preserve cultural heritage and promote art, interest in art and knowledge of art and that falls within the remit of the Swedish Ministry of Culture.