Thomas Fearnley was a Norwegian romantic painter. A student of Johan Christian Dahl, he was one of the leading representatives of Norwegian romantic nationalism in painting. His paintings have been admired for their realism and emotionality. Nevertheless, the artist's subject matter was also varied and often controversial. Despite these differences, he remains one of Norway's most important and influential painters. While his work is not regarded as particularly high-quality, it is still worth a closer examination.
While studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris, Fearnley traveled extensively during the 1830s. He visited Munich, Paris, London, Hull, and the English Lake District. In 1832, he traveled to Sicily and studied with Johan Christian Dahl in Dresden. In 1836, he also travelled to Sogn, Germany, and Sogn. In 1839, he visited Norway and spent the summer in Sognefjord.
During his studies, Thomas Fearnley traveled widely. He studied art at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. He received prestigious commissions from the Swedish royal family. He was also interested in nature. In 1824, he took his first study tour to Telemark. In this summer, he painted the landscape of the Norwegian lakes. His sketches were often of great quality. These early works are considered some of the most beautiful of his work.
