This exhibition presents works by the landscape painters Peder Mønsted (1859–1941) from Grenå in Jutland, Denmark, and the one-generation-older Alfred Wahlberg (1834–1906) from Stockholm. Both were celebrated artists during their respective lifetimes, and their work was shaped, in different ways, by international influences, while their chosen motifs reflect a deep reverence for the landscapes of their native countries.

Mønsted’s landscapes here exemplify a form of realism rooted in French academic painting. This may be explained by the fact that in his twenties Mønsted travelled to Italy and Capri, a journey followed by a four-month stay in Paris where he took the opportunity to study under William-Adolphe Bouguereau, known for his mythological subjects rendered in a detailed and realistic style, which came to influence Mønsted’s work. Throughout his career, Mønsted travelled extensively, producing tireless sketches that later served as the basis for paintings completed in his studio. In addition to his travels throughout Europe, he also visited North Africa and Algeria in 1889. Filled with impressions from his journeys, the artist chose to devote himself to painting the Danish landscape, not least the surroundings of Fredensborg in Zealand, where he spent his final years.

Here we encounter Mønsted’s almost photorealistic depictions of water and woodland groves on the outskirts of Danish villages, alongside Alfred Wahlberg’s lyrical interpretations of nature in both Sweden and France, with clear elements of French Impressionism. Wahlberg began as a musician before devoting himself entirely to painting, and his musicality is reflected in his works. From 1857 to 1862 he was active in Düsseldorf, and from 1866 primarily in France, where he received the distinction of Knight of the French Legion of Honour in 1874 (Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur). For the younger generation of Swedish artists who gathered in Paris during the 1880s, he served as an important point of reference.

Wahlberg’s early landscapes are characterised by meticulous detail and a subdued palette, hallmarks of the so-called Düsseldorf School. In France, he was inspired by the Barbizon School in his studies of atmosphere and light. Around 1900, Wahlberg experimented with pointillist painting associated with Post-Impressionism. During the late nineteenth century, Wahlberg was one of the most established Swedish artists and was appreciated not only in his homeland but also internationally. The renowned art dealership Goupil & Cie traded in the artist’s works both in Europe and in the United States. The Stockholm writer Claës Lundin offers an image of Wahlberg’s high standing: “His name is known and esteemed everywhere where there is an interest in the art of painting, and especially where one understands how to appreciate the new tendencies within this art.” (Claës Lundin, Svea folkkalender 1881, p. 143.)

Mønsted’s and Wahlberg’s landscape depictions differ considerably in terms of influences and artistic choices, yet share a common capacity to transform impressions from travels abroad and studies into a distinctive painterly expression. Mønsted brought realism to a new level in his interpretations of the Danish landscape, while Wahlberg imbued his later canvases with an atmospheric treatment of light.