Harriet Backer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harriet Backer
Born	(1845-01-21)21 January 1845 Holmestrand, Norway
Died	25 March 1932(1932-03-25) (aged 87) Oslo, Norway
Known for	Painting

Blått interiør (Blue Interior) (1883)
National Museum

Harriet Backer (born January 21, 1845 – died March 25, 1932) was a famous Norwegian painter. She was well-known during her time and was a pioneer among women artists. This was true both in the Nordic countries and across Europe. She is most famous for her detailed paintings of indoor scenes. These paintings show rich colors and amazing ways that light and shadow play together.

Harriet Backer's Life

Harriet Backer was one of four daughters. She came from a wealthy family in Holmestrand, Norway. Her father was a shipping merchant. Her mother came from a rich family. In 1856, her family moved to Christiania, which is now called Oslo. Harriet was also the aunt of another painter, Astri Welhaven Heiberg.

When she was 12, Harriet started taking lessons in drawing and painting. She studied with many art teachers. Some of them were Johan Fredrik Eckersberg and Knud Bergslien. She also studied in big cities like Berlin, Munich, and Paris. In Paris, she learned from famous artists like Léon Bonnat.

Harriet traveled a lot with her sister, Agathe Backer Grøndahl. Agathe was a well-known concert pianist. Harriet took more art lessons during these trips across Europe. From 1880 to 1888, Harriet lived in Paris. She shared an art studio with another Norwegian artist, Kitty Lange Kielland.

In 1888, Harriet Backer moved back to Norway for good. She settled in Sandvika, near Christiania. From 1889 to 1912, she ran her own art school. She taught many younger artists. Some of her students included Lars Jorde and Henrik Lund. She also gave art lessons to the writer Cora Sandel.

Harriet Backer created about 180 artworks. Most of her paintings showed local scenes. She worked slowly and carefully on each piece. In 1880, she showed her painting Solitude in Paris for the first time. In 1883, she showed Blått interiør (Blue Interior) at an art exhibition in Oslo.

Her work was influenced by impressionism. She never joined a specific art group. But her art is often compared to that of her friend, Eilif Peterssen. Harriet Backer painted in the style of realism. She is seen as both a naturalist and an early Impressionist.

Awards and Recognition

Harriet Backer received several awards for her art. She won a silver medal at the Exposition Universelle (1889) in Paris. She also showed her work at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

From 1907, she received money each year from Olaf Fredrik Schou. He was a rich businessman who supported the arts. In 1908, she received the King's Medal of Merit in Gold. This is a very special award in Norway.

In 1925, she was made a Knight 1st class in the Order of St. Olav. This is one of Norway's highest honors.

Harriet Backer passed away on March 25, 1932. She was buried in Oslo. In 1982, a bronze statue of Harriet and her sister Agathe was put up in their hometown of Holmestrand. You can see Harriet's paintings in many major museums in Norway. These include the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo. Her art was also part of the "Women in Paris 1850-1900" exhibit in 2018.

Gallery

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  Breton Interior
  (1882)

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  På blekevollen
  (1886–87)

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  Bygdeskomakere
  (1887)

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  Chez Moi
  (1887)

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  Kone som syr
  (1890)

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  Barnedåp i Tanum kirke
  (1892)

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  Storebror spiller
  (1890)

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  Ved lampelys
  (1890)

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  Inngangskoner
  (1892)