Harriet Backer: Every Atom is Colour

The works of Harriet Backer, the grande dame of Norwegian Painting.

Harriet Backer (1845–1932) was one of Norway’s most prominent painters of the nineteenth century and a pioneer among women artists in Europe. In 1880, she debuted in the Paris Salon and lived in Munich and Paris. Back in Oslo, she established a successful school for painters. Backer’s richly colored interior scenes, sensitive portrayals of simple rural life, portraits, and still lives are characterized by plein-air painting, realism, and Impressionism. Her works stand out, not only in Norway, but also in the European context, when it comes to originality, scope, and quality. The publication highlights her artistic achievements and places her oeuvre in the European context. Harriet Backer: Every Atom is Colour presents Backer to an international audience, thus giving her back the place she deserves in art history.