Harriet Backer (1845-1932) The music of colors Musée d'Orsay

Little-known outside her homeland, Norwegian painter Harriet Backer was nevertheless the most renowned female painter in her country at the end of the 19th century. Famous for her use of rich, luminous colors, she achieved a highly personal synthesis of interior scenes and plein-air practice. She drew her inspiration from both the realist movement and the innovations of Impressionism,... Show more

Little-known outside her homeland, Norwegian painter Harriet Backer was nevertheless the most renowned female painter in her country at the end of the 19th century. Famous for her use of rich, luminous colors, she achieved a highly personal synthesis of interior scenes and plein-air practice. She drew her inspiration from both the realist movement and the innovations of Impressionism, through a free touch and a keen interest in variations of light. She is also known for her sensitive portraits of rural life and her interest in church interiors.