This exquisite late 19th-century oil painting by Danish artist Georg Emil Libert (1820-1908) depicts a moonlit coastal view with rocky cliffs and distant vessels. It’s a smaller version of a similar work shown at Charlottenborg Spring in 1874, which was catalogued by Sotheby’s in 1990. Libert was an esteemed painter of landscapes who trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Illuminated by a silvery glow, the shimmering waters appear crystalline. Calm - the silence only broken by the gentle rhythm of waves lapping across shingle. Tranquility abounds amid the whispers of midnight.

Libert painted a feeling, the experience one has when dwelling among nature at her most sublime. His scenery seems to envelop you, it’s tactile, emotional, as if revealing its story piece by piece. We’re captivated, scanning a scene, looking for clues to ignite the imagination.

Born in Copenhagen, he was destined to become an artist and debuted at the prestigious Charlottenburg Spring at just 17. It was a regular haunt and he continued to exhibit until 1908, missing only seven years. In 1841, buoyed by his early success, he enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, training under the eminent master, Johan Ludwig Lund (1777-1867). Lund was inspired by the Italian Renaissance and friends with the German romanticist, Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840).

We see the influence of Romanticism in Libert’s landscapes, yet they’re also grounded in the real world. He elevated the truth of nature via intelligent compositions and light effects, selecting views that heightened emotion. Yet, one gets the impression that he rarely added elements for theatrical reasons.

In 1846, following a travel scholarship from the Academy, he undertook a three-year study trip to Munich, which was followed in 1851 by further sojourns to Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

His time in Germany increased his admiration for German landscape art, and this is particularly apparent in his views of mountains. Yet, he retained his national identity, combining both Danish Golden Age traditions with German tastes. Nocturnes were his raison d’etre and became highly sought after by both the public and the Danish Art Association.

Today, the enchanting works of Georg Emil Libert still illuminate the mind as they did when first shown. His ability to combine poetry with exquisite details, positions him as one of the foremost landscape painters of his generation. He’s represented in numerous public collections including at the Statens Museum for Kunst, Thorvaldsens Museum, National Gallery in Oslo, and Vejle Museum.

Signed in the bottom left and held in a later gilt frame.

Learn more about Georg Emil Libert in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 22” x 27½” / 56cm x 70cm
Year of creation: c. 1874
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Cleaned. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear. 
Artist’s auction maximum: £8,565 for ‘View of Heidelberg Castle on the Neckar (1862)’, Oil on canvas, Bassenge, ‘Gemalde Alter Und Neuerer Meister Zeichnungen Des 15-19. Jahrhunderts’, Berlin, Germany, 31 May 2013 (lot 6128).
Our reference: BRV2108