A Swedish Birth and a Norwegian Spirit

Fryksände, Sweden, holds the memory of his arrival on 12 February 1882. The son of Severin Sørensen and Helene Høibraaten, Henrik Sørensen carries a Swedish origin, yet his life pulls toward Norway, where he moves at age twelve. The landscape of his youth begins to shape a vision that will later define Norwegian expressionism.

The path leads to Kristiania. In 1904, the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry becomes his training ground for drawing. He does not stay still. Copenhagen calls next, where he studies under Kristian Zahrtmann between 1904 and 1905. The air in Paris follows, thick with the influence of the Académie Colarossi in the autumn of 1905. Here, the French impressionists leave their mark on his developing eye.

The Matisse Connection and the Birth of Expressionism

Paris, 1908 to 1910. The studio of Henri Matisse becomes a central point in his development. He is no longer merely observing; he is part of a circle of students reshaping modern perception. This period marks a shift from observation to a more profound, internal language.

The year 1908 brings Svartbekken. It is a moment of rupture. The painting is recognized as the first expressionist work in Norway. He follows this with Varietéartist in 1910, a piece that captures headlines and catches the eye of Prince Eugén, Duke of Närke. His brush begins to navigate the tension between light and psychological depth.

His repertoire expands through various forms:

• Painting: Works such as Menneskefuglene, produced in three versions, and Badende gutter (1913).
• Sculpture: A secondary dimension to his physical output.
• Illustration: Bringing visual life to the texts of Jørgen Moe, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Ragnhild Jølsen, and Aasmund Olavsson Vinje.
• Public Art: Large-scale works including the wall painting The Dream of Peace and altarpieces for Linköping Cathedral and Hamar Cathedral.

War, Captivity, and the Weight of History

The 1940s bring a darker gravity to his work. The psychological currents of World War II seep into his canvases. In January 1945, the reality of conflict becomes physical when he is held at the Grini concentration camp for one week. This experience, alongside the broader trauma of the era, informs the emotional weight found in pieces like Jødene (Israels folk) from 1943.

His legacy remains anchored in the institutions of Scandinavia. The National Gallery and Oslo City Hall house his contributions, while his The Dream of Peace resides in the Library of the United Nations Office Geneva. Even the currency of Norway bears his mark; a painting of his appeared on the 10 kroner notes from 1954 to 1973.

He passes away on 24 February 1962, leaving behind a body of work that moved from the bright impressions of Paris to the heavy, essential truths of the Norwegian experience.