Light of the North - Peder Mork Monsted

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

A Forest Stream Peder Mørk Mønsted

In autumn, the lowered, slanting rays of light produce the long shadows that are unique to the season and that prove irresistible to the painter. The contours of land begin to appear again as the leaves shed their final show of brilliantly colored leaves. Palettes must be adjusted and outdoor painting time becomes more frantic with less daylight and the knowledge of less hospitable winter weather coming.

We find inspiration in looking at the artworks of the northern climes, and, in particular have been exploring the work of Peder Mørk Mønsted, a Danish naturalist painter (1859 - 1941). Mønsted was keenly tuned to the northern light. He studied under Peder Severin Krøyer and at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Although inspired by the snowy winter landscapes and forests of Denmark, Mønsted also traveled and painted throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. As a guest of King George I of Greece, he was a…