Sludd. Fra ateliervinduet 

Amaldus Nielsen made this painting, called ‘Slush. From the studio window’, with oil on canvas. Here, Nielsen shares an intimate glimpse into his private sphere. What does it mean to show a view from your own window? Throughout the 19th century, artists increasingly moved away from painting grand historical scenes to painting landscapes and scenes of everyday life. In Norway, artists such as Nielsen depicted their local environments in a way that reflected a growing sense of national identity. We can think of this interest in domestic scenes as a reaction to the institutional frameworks of art at this time. Rather than focusing on the traditional subjects promoted by art academies, Nielsen turned his gaze to the world immediately around him. To better understand the social conditions that shaped Nielsen’s art, we might investigate archives and period publications. By delving deeper into the context in which this painting was made, we begin to understand the role of the artist within society.