Visionary Romantics

The exhibition ‘Visionary Romantics’ presents the works of the Norwegian painters Lars Hertervig (1830–1902) and Peder Balke (1804–1887), alongside those of the Spanish artist Eugenio Lucas Velázquez (1817–1870). It will include more 60 works altogether; paintings, water-colours and drawings, from the collections of Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Stavanger Art Museum and The Gundersen Collection (Oslo).

The exhibition and its accompanying catalogue will explore how Lucas, Hertervig and Balke can be seen as visionary artists, concentrating on a landscape of the mind, and further how these artists applied experimental or unusual techniques to achieve their effects. This loose and experimental way of painting – sometimes seen as a predecessor of impressionism and modernism – is a phenomenon found in the works of selected 19^th century painters associated with romantic landscape painting. In addition to Lucas, Hertervig and Balke, we could also mention artists such as Caspar David Friedrich, J.M.W. Turner and Victor Hugo. By juxtaposing the works of the Norwegian and Spanish artists, the project aims at exploring this as a transnational phenomenon, representing new understanding of a particular, somewhat overlooked, aspect of art history. In addition, it will introduce two central Norwegian romantic artists to a Spanish audience, and one important Spanish painter to Scandinavia.

The exhibition is organized by the Museo Lázaro Galdiano and Stavanger Art Museum together with Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica and Nordic Institute of Art. It is initiated and curated by Knut Ljøgodt and Carlos Sánchez Díez, in with contributions by Inger M.L. Gudmundson.

A large-scale publication in two editions (Spanish and English) will be brought out by Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica in association with the museums and Nordic Institute of Art, and will include essays by Begoña Torres Gómez, Knut Ljøgodt, Carlos Sánchez Díez, Hanne Beate Ueland and Inger M.L. Gudmundson.

As part of the opening of the exhibition VISIONARY ROMANTICS - Eugenio Lucas, Peder Balke, Lars Hertervig at Museo Lázaro Galdiano 16th of March this year. There was a conference organized by Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica, Stavanger Art Museum and Nordic Institute of Art.

The conference was streamed and can be watched on YouTube.

Also as part of the opening of the exhibition VISIONARY ROMANTICS - Eugenio Lucas, Peder Balke, Lars Hertervig at Stavanger Art Museum on th 29th of September this year. There was a conference organized by Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica, Stavanger Art Museum and Nordic Institute of Art.

The conference was streamed and can be watched on YouTube.