The Life and Art of Cecilie Dahl
Cecilie Dahl was a Norwegian artist who specialized in portraits, genre paintings, and landscapes. Born in Oslo, she was the daughter of physician Ludvig Wilhelm Dahl and Anna Cathrine Lyders née Bonnevie. Her artistic training began at Knud Bergslien's art school under Amaldus Nielsen in 1880, followed by studies with Karl Gussow in Berlin between 1881 and 1882. She later attended the Académie Colarossi in Paris, studying under naturalist Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret from 1886 to 1887. Her education continued under Eilif Peterssen in Norway, and while living in Denmark from 1896 to 1900, she studied under Johan Rohde and G.F. Clement.
Artistic Career and Notable Works
Dahl's early portraits, such as those of her sister Anna Munch and her siblings, are noted for their dreamy depiction. Her notable works include Dame i ridedrakt (1884) and a portrait of the opera singer Eva Sars (1886). In 1888, she presented a work inspired by Henrik Ibsen's Brand at the Nordic Exhibition in Copenhagen. Later, her paintings focused on landscapes from eastern Norway and scenes of summer evenings, such as Augustkveld, Hakadal, which is held in the Norwegian National Gallery.
Beyond painting, Dahl published a collection of three short stories titled Bag Kulissene in 1890. Her exhibition history spans several cities, including:
- Oslo
- Copenhagen
- Stockholm
- Brighton
- Riga
