Marsh Marigold Night
Colour woodcut on paper, 40.7 x 47 cm, by Nikolai Astrup, c. 1915
Kode Art Museums, Bergen

This colour woodcut print by Astrup depicts a nocturnal farmstead with barns, storage buildings, and a residence set in the shadow of a towering mountain. A verdant field in the foreground overflows with marsh marigolds, capturing the rich natural beauty of Jølster, Norway, a place Astrup called home for a significant part of his life. Known for his vivid depictions of rural Norway, he drew inspiration from its landscapes and folklore, striving to recreate the intense colours and moods of his childhood surroundings. Though he considered himself primarily a painter, he mastered woodcut printing after beginning in 1904, developing a distinctive technique characterised by rich depth and luminosity, achieved through careful contrasts and mastery of the wood’s grain and texture. Unlike many of his contemporaries, who were often limited by the inherent flatness of printmaking, Astrup’s woodcuts take on a painted quality, with striking tonal shifts that capture the same vibrant atmosphere found in his paintings. Marsh Marigold Night, one of his most textured and radiant prints, was influenced by his earlier works A June Night and Old Jølster Farm.

 

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