The painting Ved Kristianiafjorden (Japansk lykt), completed in 1886, marked the debut of Othilia Pauline Christine Lasson, better known as Oda Krohg. Born in Oslo in 1860 into a liberal-conservative family of eleven children, she emerged as a prominent figure in the Kristiania Bohemians movement during the 1880s and 1890s, eventually establishing herself as a significant Norwegian painter.
Artistic Development and Influences
Krohg lacked formal art training, yet she quickly internalized the skills of her contemporaries after becoming a student of Erik Werenskiold and Christian Krohg in 1885. Her early canvases exemplify the new Romantic style, while her later portraiture displays a distinct, robust quality. In addition to her notable debut work, her catalog includes En abonnent på Aftenposten from 1887, Fra festen of 1892, and later pieces such as Rouge et Noir and the 1912 portrait, Christian Krohg på Karl Johan.
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Known as the Bohemian Princess, she stood at the center of the Norwegian anti-culture scene. Her social life, marked by intense personal relationships and public interactions, often overshadowed her professional output. She featured in Edvard Munch's 1893 etching kafeinteriør, surrounded by associates including Hans Jæger, Gunnar Heiberg, and Jappe Nilssen. Her life in Berlin during the 1890s included an incident at the bar Zum Schwarzen Ferkel, where she was defended by Gunnar Heiberg during a dispute with August Strindberg.
International Recognition and Later Years
Krohg expanded her presence beyond Norway, exhibiting at the Palace of Fine Arts during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Between 1901 and 1909, she lived in Paris with her husband, Christian Krohg, and worked from a studio in Montparnasse. She died in 1935 in Oslo and is buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund.
Fast facts
- Born: 1860, Oslo
- Died: 1935, Oslo
- Movement: Kristiania Bohemians
- Notable Work: Gunnar Heiberg, the Author
- Key Exhibition: 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
- Primary Occupations: Painter
- Burial Site: Vår Frelsers gravlund
Questions readers ask
Who were the primary teachers of Oda Krohg?
She studied under Erik Werenskiold and Christian Krohg, whom she married in 1888.
Did she live outside of Norway?
Yes, she spent time in Berlin and lived in Paris between 1901 and 1909.
Achievements
- Notable work: Gunnar Heiberg, the Author
- Movement: Kristiania Bohemians
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