Harbor, Svolvaer, Lofoten

William H. Johnson, Harbor, Svolvaer, Lofoten, 1937, oil on burlap, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.893
Copied William H. Johnson, Harbor, Svolvaer, Lofoten, 1937, oil on burlap, 27 x 37 1⁄4 in. (68.5 x 94.5 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.893

Artwork Details

Title
Harbor, Svolvaer, Lofoten
Artist
Date
1937
Location
Dimensions
27 x 37 1⁄4 in. (68.5 x 94.5 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Harmon Foundation
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on burlap
Classifications
Subjects
  • Waterscape — harbor — Svolvaer Harbor
  • Landscape — Norway — Svolvaer
  • Landscape — Norway — Lofoten
  • Landscape — mountain
  • Waterscape — boat
Object Number
1967.59.893
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1967.59.893

Artwork Description

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.