Lledr Valley in Wales (1864)

Hans Gude prints bring the fjords, mountains and restless seas of Norway into your home. Gude was one of the great landscape painters of the 1800s and a famous teacher in Düsseldorf, Karlsruhe and Berlin. His work runs from grand mountain views to fresh coastal scenes full of wind and light. Our collection of fine art prints includes fjords, highlands, seascapes, Welsh valleys, cloud studies and fairy-tale illustrations.

About Hans Gude

Hans Fredrik Gude was born in Christiania, now Oslo, on 13 March 1825. He took his first lessons with Johannes Flintoe, then in 1841 went to Düsseldorf, where he studied with Andreas Achenbach and Johann Wilhelm Schirmer.

In the winter of 1847–48 he and the figure painter Adolph Tidemand painted Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord together, Gude painting the fjord and mountains and Tidemand the wedding party. It became one of the best-known paintings in Norway and hangs in the National Museum in Oslo.

Gude became professor of landscape painting in Düsseldorf in 1854, at only 29. He lived in North Wales in 1862–64, taught in Karlsruhe from 1864 to 1880 and led the landscape master studio at the Berlin Academy from 1880 to 1901. His many pupils included Frits Thaulow, Kitty Kielland, Eilif Peterssen and Christian Krohg. He died in Berlin on 17 August 1903.

Style and Subjects

Gude's early work belongs to Norwegian national romanticism: wide, idealised views of mountains, waterfalls and fjords, painted with great care. Over time his art moved towards a fresher realism, with coasts, harbours and changing weather, painted partly outdoors.

He loved the sky. Clouds, sea spray and sunlight breaking through storms fill his seascapes, and his small cloud and plant studies are as lively as his big paintings. Colours run from cool fjord blues and greens to the warm light of a summer evening.

Famous Works

• Funeral Procession on the Sogne Fjord. Small boats set out on a dark fjord under a heavy storm sky, with light breaking low over the mountains.
• Fresh Breeze on the Norwegian Coast. A sailing ship leans in the wind while a rowing boat works through choppy, sunlit water.
• Lledr Valley in Wales (1864). A river valley from his years in North Wales.
• The Troll Peaks in Romsdalen (1894). A late mountain view of the jagged peaks of Romsdal.
• Vikings Setting Up a Memorial Stone to the Fallen. A rare history scene set on a wild northern shore.
• Norwegian Highlands in Sunrise. Morning light over the open upland.
• The Jetty at Feste near Moss (1898). A calm late picture of a quiet jetty on the Oslofjord.
• Cloud Study over the Sea. A quick, fresh study of clouds and light.

Decorating with Gude Prints

Gude's fjords and mountains suit a living room, bedroom or hallway, bringing calm and a sense of space. A large highland view works well above a sofa or bed, while the stormy seascapes give drama to a dining room or study.

His cloud and plant studies are lovely in small frames grouped on a stairwell or beside a window. For a Scandinavian look, pair his landscapes with light wood frames and white walls; for a more traditional room, choose gilt frames.

FAQ

Who was Hans Gude?

Hans Gude (1825–1903) was a Norwegian landscape painter who trained in Düsseldorf and taught there, in Karlsruhe and in Berlin. He is one of Norway's best-known painters.

What is Hans Gude's most famous painting?

Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord (1848), painted with Adolph Tidemand, now in the National Museum in Oslo.

What art movement was Hans Gude part of?

He began in Norwegian national romanticism and the Düsseldorf school, then moved towards realism, with more outdoor painting of coasts and weather.

Where can I see Hans Gude's paintings?

The National Museum in Oslo holds his best-known works. The Gothenburg Museum of Art holds his 1866 funeral procession on the Sognefjord.

Who were Hans Gude's students?

His pupils included Frits Thaulow, Kitty Kielland, Eilif Peterssen and Christian Krohg.

Related Artists

• Adolph Tidemand: his partner on Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord
• Johann Wilhelm Schirmer: his teacher in Düsseldorf
• Johan Christian Dahl: the founder of Norwegian landscape painting
• Frits Thaulow: Norwegian painter and one of his pupils
• Christian Krohg: Norwegian painter and one of his pupils