Printemps Arctique (Arctic Springtime), 1928

Anna Boberg (1864-1935) is a Swedish painter, known for her Norwegian landscapes. For over 30 years, she painted in extreme conditions. No man (or woman) before her had painted in such environments.
This vertical painting depicts two fishing boats. The artist chose a bottom view, which hugely accentuated the mountains in the background. The vibrant colors of the boat stand out from the quasi-monochrome background. The mountain has a threatening air, but the sea, like a transparent mirror, is calm.
In her paintings, Boberg tasks herself with demonstrating the life of fishermen in this hostile environment, along with the ever-changing atmosphere of the landscape. She had a small home built in the Lofoten Isles, from where she set out on an excursion that lasted several weeks in her sailboat. She slept in nature, found her own food, and painted in the glacial temperatures.