Christian Krohg, 1852-1925 : Le Peuple du Nord

Exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, 25 March - 27 July 2025

A Bohemian and fervent defender of the political and social causes of his time, as well as a writer and journalist, the Norwegian painter Christian Krohg (1852-1925) depicted with deep empathy the condition of the Scandinavian people, the dangers of work, poverty and the injustices suffered by women. His credo, ‘it's all a question of framing’, was the foundation of his highly modern artistic research. As a member of the provocative society of Christiania - the former name of Oslo - Krohg caused controversy and scandal among the bourgeoisie and the artistic elite. Munch, who was his pupil, said of him that he was ‘the only painter capable of coming down from his throne and feeling sincere compassion for his models’.

This catalogue of Krohg's very first retrospective outside Scandinavia highlights Krohg's committed, naturalistic works, which are a far cry from the more introspective works of Edvard Munch. Through an in-depth overview of the painter's artistic career, it highlights his pictorial modernity and his humanist commitment, as well as the links with the French artists Krohg discovered during his stays in Paris - notably Gustave Courbet, Édouard Manet and the Impressionists.