Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 96 works by Nikolai Astrup in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Nikolai Astrup left, the most famous is Early Snow (1926), in the collection of the Bergen Kunstmuseum, Bergen. Close behind it come Foxgloves (1920) and Landscape with Seated Woman (1892). Our catalog holds 96 works by Nikolai Astrup; the gallery has kept the 96 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
In Early Snow, Nikolai Astrup captures a quiet moment within a winter landscape. The scene focuses on a rustic wooden cabin nestled in a snowy environment, where the weight of the season begins to settle over the terrain. It is a depiction of rural life, showing a profound connection to the natural world through the presence of a simple dwelling amidst the elements. The subject matter suggests a stillness that…
In the heart of the Norwegian landscape, where the mist clings to the valleys of Vestlandet, Nikolai Astrup captured a world that feels simultaneously grounded in reality and touched by magic. His 1920 masterpiece, Foxgloves, is far more than a mere botanical study; it is an immersive journey into a thriving, breathing ecosystem. The canvas unfolds as a lush forest sanctuary, where the dense canopy of healthy green leaves creates…
In Landscape with Seated Woman, Nikolai Astrup presents a serene rural scene that invites a quiet contemplation of the Norwegian countryside. Painted in 1892, the work captures a moment of stillness within the natural world. The landscape unfolds with a sense of calm, focusing on the quietude of a remote setting. It is a scene that feels lived-in and deeply connected to the earth.
In this intimate oil portrait, titled Portrait of a young Girl, the artist Nikolai Astrup captures a quiet moment of introspection. The work, dating to 1904, presents a close-up bust view of the subject. A young girl gazes downward, her expression heavy with a sense of melancholy that pulls the viewer into her private, somber world.
In this oil painting, Cowshed Courting by Nikolai Astrup, we find ourselves drawn into a private, dimly lit space. Created about 1903, the work captures a romantic encounter held within the rustic confines of a cowshed. On the left side of the foreground, a young man and woman are locked in an embrace. Their figures form a quiet, vertical focal point amidst the shadows of the barn. The man is…
In this intimate oil portrait, Nikolai Astrup turns his gaze toward a deeply personal subject: his father. Painted about 1900, the work captures an older man in a moment of quiet presence. It is a study of character and lineage, rendered with a focus on the individual's physical presence and the weight of years. The portrait moves beyond a mere likeness to offer a glimpse into the artist's own domestic…
is an oil portrait by the Norwegian artist Nikolai Astrup. Executed about 1900, the work captures an intimate moment of domestic life. The subject is an elderly woman captured in a medium close-up, presented from the waist up as she engages in the quiet task of knitting.
Landscape with Figures is a landscape painting by the Norwegian artist Nikolai Astrup. Executed in oil on canvas, the work dates to about 1906. The composition focuses on a nocturnal or low-light environment where the natural terrain meets several human or spectral forms.
Spring Evening in Jølster is a landscape painting by Nikolai Astrup. Executed in 1926, the work captures a specific moment in the Norwegian countryside. The scene focuses on a woman tending to large-leafed plants within a garden setting.
Executed in 1926, Sandalstrand by Nikolai Astrup presents a serene rural scene in Norway. The work captures a specific moment of pastoral life, focusing on the quietude of the Norwegian countryside. It reflects the artist's deep connection to the landscape of Vestlandet, specifically the area around Jølster.
In ParadiseBergen Kunstmuseum
12
JobBergen Kunstmuseum
13
From Sunde1921 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
14
June Night and Old West Country Farmyard1908 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
15
Gethsemane1926 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
16
Svanøybukta1905 · KODE Art museums and composer homes
17
Landscape with Children1903 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
18
Autumnrain in the Mountain Valley1899 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
19
Night1902 · Sogn og Fjordane Kunstmuseum
20
Going to the Mill1905 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
21
Landscape in Spring1908 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
22
Mountainlandscape1908 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
23
Foxgloves1909 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
24
Landscape in Moonlight1907 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
25
Landscape with FiguresNational Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
26
The white Horse in Spring1910 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
27
Warmth Enters the Earth1908 · Lillehammer Art Museum
28
RhubarbKODE Art museums and composer homes
29
Spring night in the garden1909 · KODE Art museums and composer homes
30
Midsummer Eve Bonfire by Lake Jølstravatnet1909
31
Night in Spring1909 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
32
Old Man with BeardSogn og Fjordane Kunstmuseum
33
The FarewellBergen Kunstmuseum
34
Head, Old Man with BeardBergen Kunstmuseum
35
Man Plowing (also known as Ploughman)Bergen Kunstmuseum
36
The FishermanBergen Kunstmuseum
37
Bird on Stone1912 · KODE Art museums and composer homes
38
Downy Night1912 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
39
Mill Water1916 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
40
Midsummer Night Bonfire1915 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
41
Corn Store1920 · KODE Art museums and composer homes
42
March Morning1920 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
43
Kari Motif from Sunde1918 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
44
Spring in Jølster1925 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
45
Interior with Cradle1925 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
46
The Goose1926 · Bergen Kunstmuseum
47
Clear June NightKODE Art museums and composer homes
48
The Parsonage GardenKODE Art museums and composer homes
49
At 2 PM July 14th
50
The Old Woman with the LanternKODE Art museums and composer homes
51
Grain StacksSogn og Fjordane Kunstmuseum
52
Storehouse in JølsterNational Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
53
Wood in WinterNational Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
54
MyklebustSogn og Fjordane Kunstmuseum
55
Fisherman
56
Landscape from ÅlhusBergen Kunstmuseum
57
Naked TreesBergen Kunstmuseum
58
The FarmerBergen Kunstmuseum
59
Girl SpinningBergen Kunstmuseum
60
Marigold Night (also known as Soleienatt)
61
Menu 9 7.22Bergen Kunstmuseum
62
Jølster Woman with HoodBergen Kunstmuseum
63
Juninatt i haven (A Night in June in the Garden)
64
Man's Head with CapBergen Kunstmuseum
65
Ålhustunet, Jølster
66
Landscape ÅlhusdalenBergen Kunstmuseum
67
Landscape with PineBergen Kunstmuseum
68
Men Binding Hay RacksBergen Kunstmuseum
69
Kari paa Sunde
70
Inger Grimsbø, Old Jølster GirlBergen Kunstmuseum
71
The Hat ThiefBergen Kunstmuseum
72
May MoonBergen Kunstmuseum
73
Man Cutting Branches from SallowBergen Kunstmuseum
74
Landscape with Hay Rack and HouseBergen Kunstmuseum
75
Elements from Spring and WillBergen Kunstmuseum
76
The Godly CobblerBergen Kunstmuseum
77
Landscape with White HouseBergen Kunstmuseum
78
Knitting WomanBergen Kunstmuseum
79
Great Grandfather of Half the VillageBergen Kunstmuseum
80
The Eager SuitorBergen Kunstmuseum
81
June NightBergen Kunstmuseum
82
Jølster TaleBergen Kunstmuseum
83
Early Summer in JølsterBergen Kunstmuseum
84
Home from WorkBergen Kunstmuseum
85
Marigold NightBergen Kunstmuseum
86
Growing Weather in SandalstrandBergen Kunstmuseum
87
Large StookBergen Kunstmuseum
88
Midsummer Night Bonfire (sketch)Bergen Kunstmuseum
89
Mill Water (woodcut)Bergen Kunstmuseum
90
The Gypsy GirlBergen Kunstmuseum
91
May Moon, Winter NightBergen Kunstmuseum
92
HaymakingBergen Kunstmuseum
93
Midsummer Night Bonfire (woodcut)Bergen Kunstmuseum
94
The Doll HouseBergen Kunstmuseum
95
Mother and Child(ren ) by the Garden TableBergen Kunstmuseum
96
Bonfire celebrating Midsummer Night1912 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 5 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Nikolai Astrup | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bergen Kunstmuseum |
Bergen | 56 | Early Snow, Foxgloves, In Paradise |
 National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design |
Oslo | 15 | Portrait of a young Girl, Landscape with Figures, Spring Evening in Jølster |
| KODE Art museums and composer homes | Bergen | 10 | Cowshed Courting, Sandalstrand, Svanøybukta |
 Sogn og Fjordane Kunstmuseum |
Førde | 7 | Landscape with Seated Woman, The Artist's Father, The Artist's Mother |
 Lillehammer Art Museum |
Lillehammer | 1 | Warmth Enters the Earth |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In Landscape with Seated Woman, Nikolai Astrup presents a serene rural scene that invites a quiet contemplation of the Norwegian countryside. Painted in 1892, the work captures a moment of stillness within the natural world. The landscape unfolds with a sense of calm, focusing on the quietude of a remote setting. It is a scene that feels lived-in and deeply connected to the earth.
In this intimate oil portrait, titled Portrait of a young Girl, the artist Nikolai Astrup captures a quiet moment of introspection. The work, dating to 1904, presents a close-up bust view of the subject. A young girl gazes downward, her expression heavy with a sense of melancholy that pulls the viewer into her private, somber world.
In Early Snow, Nikolai Astrup captures a quiet moment within a winter landscape. The scene focuses on a rustic wooden cabin nestled in a snowy environment, where the weight of the season begins to settle over the terrain. It is a depiction of rural life, showing a profound connection to the natural world through the presence of a simple dwelling amidst the elements. The subject matter suggests a stillness that…
Early Snow (1926), Bergen Kunstmuseum, Bergen. Foxgloves (1920) and Landscape with Seated Woman (1892) come next.
46 years old: Early Snow dates from 1926, and Nikolai Astrup was born in 1880.
Early Snow, Foxgloves, Landscape with Seated Woman, Portrait of a young Girl, Cowshed Courting, The Artist's Father, The Artist's Mother, Landscape with Figures, Spring Evening in Jølster and Sandalstrand. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 96 works by Nikolai Astrup, dated from 1892 to 1926.
Mostly in Bergen Kunstmuseum (Bergen), National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Oslo) and KODE Art museums and composer homes (Bergen). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1900s: 18 of the 96 works on this page were made then, Portrait of a young Girl among them.
On this page, the earliest is Landscape with Seated Woman (1892) and the latest Early Snow (1926).
Trees (6), Woman (5) and Landscape (4), across the 96 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 7 of the 96 works on this page.
Neo-romanticism, judging by the originals on this page.
Early Snow, Foxgloves and In Paradise: the Bergen Kunstmuseum, Bergen holds 56 of the works on this page.
Nikolai Astrup stands as a singular figure in Norwegian art history—a painter whose deeply felt connection to the landscapes and traditions of Vestlandet cemented his place among the most distinctive neo-romantic artists of his time. Born on August 30, 1880, in the coastal village of Kalvåg, within the rugged Bremanger region, Astrup’s early life was steeped in the atmospheric beauty of the fjords and mountains. As the eldest son of a parish priest, his upbringing was marked by a certain familial piety, yet his heart was irrevocably drawn to the vibrant, living pulse of the natural world. This profound connection to his ancestral roots would eventually propel him toward a style characterized by intense color palettes and an unwavering dedication to portraying the everyday life and folklore of rural Norway.
His journey toward artistic mastery was not a straight path but rather a soulful exploration of both tradition and modernity. While initial inclinations suggested a life in theological studies, Astrup’s passion for drawing led him away from the Trondheim Cathedral School and toward the burgeoning art scene in Kristiania (Oslo). It was here, under the influential tutelage of Harriet Backer, that he began to hone his technical skills. A brief but transformative stint in Paris further enriched his vision, exposing him to the avant-garde movements of the era and fostering connections with fellow artists like Christian Krohg. These encounters with Impressionistic techniques and a broader European perspective provided him with the tools to eventually weave tradition and innovation into a singular, cohesive artistic language.
In 1902, Astrup made the pivotal decision to return to his childhood home in Jølster, settling on the property of Sandalstrand. This return was more than a homecoming; it was an immersion into a lifelong muse. Alongside his wife, Engel Sunde, he raised eight children amidst the demanding economic realities of rural life, yet this very hardship fueled his creative drive. He became a master of capturing the magical realism of the Norwegian landscape, where the lush greenery of summer and the stark, quiet solitude of winter were rendered with an almost supernatural intensity. His work often transcends mere representation, utilizing a vibrant, colorful palette to evoke the mystical atmosphere of the mountains and the seasonal shifts of the fjords.
Astrup’s technique was as much about emotion as it was about observation. He was a skilled printmaker and horticulturalist, qualities that informed his complex approach to composition. In his woodcuts and paintings, one can observe how he modified moods through subtle changes in color and the strategic addition or deletion of motifs. His oeuvre is celebrated for its ability to capture the sublime—that breathtaking intersection of beauty and awe. Whether depicting a serene winter scene like Mill Water or the hauntingly beautiful monochrome landscapes of Naked Trees, Astrup’s work invites the viewer into a world where the boundaries between the physical landscape and the spiritual realm are beautifully blurred.
Beyond his individual canvases, Nikolai Astrup’s historical significance lies in his pioneering effort to capture a national visual language. He did not merely paint scenery; he documented the very essence of the Norwegian identity, celebrating the traditional way of life and the folklore that defined the region of Vestlandet. His ability to blend the local with the universal allowed his work to resonate far beyond the borders of Norway, even if he remained largely unknown to much of the international community during his lifetime. He remains a cornerstone of Norwegian modernism, an artist who found the infinite within the intimate.
The enduring impact of his life and work can be summarized through these defining elements:
Though his life was tragically short, ending in 1928 at the age of forty-seven, the legacy of Nikolai Astrup continues to flourish. His paintings remain vibrant windows into a lost era, offering a timeless glimpse into the heart of the Norwegian wilderness.
