Artist: Hans Dahl (1849–1937)
Title: Upon Sunny Waves
Date: before 1937
Medium: oil painting
Hans Dahl was a Norwegian painter trained in Germany and is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting, which was characterized by finely detailed imaginary landscapes. In his later years, he endured mean-spirited criticism from other artists and art critics, because he chose to remain true to his idealized fantasy art, resisting the movement from Romanticism to Modernism.
What I love about this painting:
I first featured this painting in 2019 and think it’s a good image for a writing prompt. I love the way Dahl shares with us the bold freedom of sailing on a sunny summer day. He captures the feeling of flying on the water that makes sailing a small boat so much fun.
We aren’t on a leisurely fishing expedition here—this is boating for the sake of adventure. We’re running with wind and enjoying every minute of it. The wind is brisk, and the waters are choppy. There’s a hint of danger, the glee of knowing we’re pushing the boundaries. We’d best be strong swimmers because if we capsize, the waters are cold, and someone might not survive.
Who are these people? What is their relationship to each other? What dramas are they seeking a temporary escape from on this glorious day on the waves?
Hans Dahl has given us a painting with great story potential.
About the Artist, via Wikipedia:
In the 1890s a new school of art arose, and artists like Dahl were not very popular in the leading circles in the capital. He was particularly criticized by the art historian Jens Thiis. He was severely criticized by fellow artists especially by Christian Krohg, who was one of the leading figures in the transition from romanticism to naturalism which characterized Norwegian art in this period. Throughout his life, he increasingly narrowed his range of topics. Dahl often described the scenery of the western part of Norway in brilliant sunshine with smiling people in national costumes. His vibrant colors and charming portrayals of young Norwegian girls in their national costume have always been very popular. [1]
Credits and Attributions:
[1] Wikipedia contributors, “Hans Dahl,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hans_Dahl&oldid=827399492 (accessed November 7, 2024).
IMAGE: Upon Sunny Waves, by Hans Dahl PD|70 [Public domain]
Wikimedia Commons contributors, “File:Hans Dahl – Upon sunny waves.jpg,” Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Hans_Dahl_-_Upon_sunny_waves.jpg&oldid=140877929 (accessed November 7, 2024).
Life in the Realm of Fantasy 
