900/​30

I. C. Dahl (b. Bergen 1788, d. Dresden 1857)

“Fjorden ved klostret nær Skien”. The fiord by the monastery near Skien. Signed and dated J. Dahl 1850. Oil on canvas. 26×40 cm.

Provenance: Danish private collection for several generations.

Two works with the same motif as the present painting are registered in Marie Lødrup Bang's Catalogue Raisonné of J.C. Dahl's works (Marie Lødrup Bang (MLB), 'Johan Christian Dahl 1788–1857. Life and Work', vols. I-III, 1987): no. 1097 dated to 1849 and no. 1178, which is undated.

No. 1178 is at KODE Art Museums, Bergen (Inv. No. RMS.M.00099). KODE’s painting and the present painting are, apart from the size (33.4×46.8 cm and 26×40 cm, respectively) almost identical, but there are small variations, as is typical of Dahl when he repeats his motifs. The overall composition and lighting are the same, but the figures, the timber, the boats and several other details vary in number and placement.

No. 1097 is known only from a photograph, and according to MLB it could correspond with no. 586 in Johan Langaard's Catalogue Raisonné from 1937 of Dahl's works and derive from Consul M. Kaskel, Dresden.

The problem, as MLB herself points out (under Nos. 1098 and 1178), is the size that Langaard states to be 18.9×24 cm.

In Dahl's account book of his sold paintings, 'Einnehmen für die Jahre 1824–1855', it says in February 1850: “From Kaskel for two small paintings from Skien, both of the same subject 45–10” (MLB vol. II, p. 328).

Dahl's afterdrawing of one of Kaskel's above-mentioned paintings is largely identical with both the present painting and that at KODE. Under the drawing is written: “16 1/2 Z.l. - 10 3/4 Z.h. for Consul M. Kaskel - sendt nach Paris v. Blom. Dahl f. 1850”, and MLB writes further: “According to the indications on the afterdrawing LV 807 [= KODE, Bergen inv. no. BB.B.00947], at least one of the paintings of the Skiensfiord bought by Kaskel should measure about 24.3×38.9 cm and both this painting as well the one described by Langaard as no. 586 are smaller, and the variant corresponding to the subject of the drawing is larger (cat. no. 1178)”. (MLB vol. II, p. 328).

The approximate measurements stated on the afterdrawing are 24.3×38.9 cm, according to MLB. These measurements are almost the same as the dimensions of the present painting: 26×40 cm. Therefore, this painting could perhaps be one of the works Kaskel acquired in 1850 of 'Fjorden ved klostret nær Skien' (The Fiord by the Monastery Near Skien)?

Dahl registered his completed and sold paintings with afterdrawings [copies] in his Liber Veritatis (LV). The drawings from LV are today at the KODE Art Museums, Bergen. On the copies, Dahl often wrote the measurements of the painting, the name of the buyer and sometimes also the price of the painting sold.

Dahl created several repetitions of many of his more popular works. He thus notes in his diary on 17 March 1820 that he has now completed a copy of his moonlight scene (MLB, no. 196), and he can now begin to paint something more interesting. In letters to Lyder Sagen from 1823 and 1824, he complains that he is so busy painting variations for his clients that he hasn’t enough time to turn his 'ideas' into paintings – Dahl writes “Therefore, I have now painted a shipwreck scene three times, though always with some variations.” (MLB, vol. II, p. 33 and 242)

Additional Remarks

Please note: The item is subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. In the event of a hammer price of DKK 50,000 or more, including buyer’s premium, the buyer must submit a copy of a valid photo ID and proof of address in order to collect the item.

Auction

Paintings, furniture, carpets, decorative arts and books, 8 March 2021

Category
Estimate

150,000–250,000 DKK

Sold

Price realised

380,000 DKK