Object Details
- Luce Center Label
- In 1937, William H. Johnson and his Danish wife, Holcha, made their way north of the Arctic Circle to the settlement of Svolvaer in Norway’s Lofoten Islands. Thickly applied colors capture strong contrasts of light and shadow and animate the rugged terrain and fishing boats in the harbor. In letters to friends, Holcha called the Lofotens “marvelously beautiful” and wrote that her husband climbed the hills every day to capture the scenery in different light and weather. This canvas shows the twin peaks of the “Svolvaer Goat,” a landmark in the islands that remains famous to this day.
- Data Source
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Artist
- William H. Johnson, born Florence, SC 1901-died Central Islip, NY 1970
- Date
- 1937
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation
- Medium
- oil on burlap
- Dimensions
- 27 x 37 1/4 in. (68.5 x 94.5 cm.)
- Type
- Painting
