Before the coronavirus pandemic began, my family and I took a trip to Iceland, one of the most topographically diverse places on the planet. We spent about two weeks traversing the entirety of the island, driving around the country in search of as many interesting sites as possible. Lucky for us, this didn’t take much time because pretty much the instant we left the airport, one could easily say that we “weren’t in New Jersey anymore.” On one side of the road, you witness a flat and barren volcanic landscape, steam wafting out of the crevices from geothermal activity. On the other side, a lush mountainous plain greets you. Sheep freely graze beneath the shadows of the waterfalls, which spew from the cliff edges. Sounds amazing right? Trust me, it is. However, there is one troubling thing about this vast oasis. Thanks to its unique geographical landscape, Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. This means that if you are an aspiring Stute columnist who writes about artists, your options are slim. Lucky for you, Wikiart exists, and you happen upon Asgrimur Jonsson.
Asgrimur Jonsson was an Icelandic impressionist painter who was the first Icelandic artist to make art his main occupation. Jonsson was born in 1876, and in his younger years, acquired a traditional artistic education at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. He went on to make a name for himself in the 1900s with his impressive naturalist and impressionist pieces. He was inspired by the works of the Romantic movement, which emphasized the preservation of the natural world, expression of individual perspective, and emotional freedom. These ideas are visibly represented in his work, specifically in his depictions of remarkable Icelandic landscapes. Although one may be more inclined towards Renaissance era landscapes, which are heavily detailed and focus on true form, I personally prefer Jonsson’s approach, which is more abstract and places an emphasis on natural light and color.
The reference painting presented above is my favorite work by Jonsson, Winter Sun in Hafnarfjörður. The reason this piece caught my eye is because I couldn’t relate to it in any way, regardless of my experience in the country. As I mentioned, I visited Iceland about three years ago during the summer. I never witnessed the Icelandic landscape veiled in a blanket of snow, so it’s truly incredible to see it through Jonsson’s eyes because he does an outstanding job portraying the thick texture of the snow without turning the landscape into a giant white mess. The contours of the mountains are still clearly defined, and you can even see the smoke coming from a local chimney, the construction of a ship’s smoke stacks in the harbor, and the foliage of the rocks in the foreground. Also, strangely enough, I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed an Icelandic sunset. Thankfully, Jonsson has got me covered. Impressionist painters are known for painting in the natural world rather than in the comfort of their studios, so it is likely that the sunset depicted in Jonsson’s piece is not his first. This is also visible by his absolute mastery of the sunset’s elaborate color scheme. I see a unique mixture of yellow, orange, blue, white and red hues, yet somehow it still forms a coherent and identifiable shape. The reflection of the sunset on the lake intensifies the realism of the piece, giving it life. The sunlight casts the town and its surrounding hills in a fiery clay, adding a dark earthiness to the piece. I’m officially converted. I don’t know about you guys, but I have already purchased my plane ticket…
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