Hermann August Cappelen completed his primary schooling in Skien by 1845 before relocating to Christiania to attend the Royal Frederick University. His subsequent transition to the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf marked the beginning of a brief but focused career, during which he established a reputation for melancholic and dramatic landscape paintings within the Düsseldorf school of painting.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1827 to Diderik von Cappelen and Margaret Noble Severine Henriette Løvenskiold, August Cappelen grew up at the Holden manor in Ulefoss. His family connections were rooted in the industrial and political landscape of Norway, with his grandfather serving at the Eidsvoll Manor constituent assembly in 1814. After his academic studies in Christiania, he moved to Germany to pursue formal artistic training. At the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, he received instruction from Johann Wilhelm Schirmer between 1846 and 1850, while also studying under Hans Gude.
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Cappelen integrated field observations into his studio practice by embarking on multiple study tours throughout Norway. In 1846, he traveled to Lom Municipality in Gudbrandsdalen alongside Hans Gude and Johan Fredrik Eckersberg. These expeditions continued in 1847 with visits to Sogn and Hardanger. He also frequented the countryside surrounding his family residence at Holden during the summer months to sketch the regional topography.
Final Years and Legacy
The period between 1850 and 1852 represents the most prolific phase of his career. Despite his productivity, his life ended prematurely at age 25 due to gastric cancer while in Düsseldorf. Today, the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design houses his primary collection, including significant works like Waterfall in Lower Telemark, Forest Lake, and the unfinished Dying Forest. Other pieces remain in the Oslo Kunstforening. In 1952, sculptor Dyre Vaa created a monument to him located in a park in Holla Municipality.
Fast facts
- Born: 1827, Skien
- Died: 1852, Düsseldorf
- Education: Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- Notable works: Kvernhus (1850), Utdøende urskog i uvær (1851), Foss i nedre Telemark (1852)
- Nationality: Norwegian
Questions readers ask
What subjects did August Cappelen paint?
He focused on romantic and melancholic landscape compositions, often depicting Norwegian forests, waterfalls, and lakes.
Where can his works be viewed?
The largest collection is held at the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Norway.
