Background
Balke was born in Helgøya, Norway, on November 4, 1804. He spent his childhood in Ringsaker.
Stockholm, Sweden
From autumn 1829 to spring 1833, he was a student of Carl Johan Fahlcrantz, attending the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm.
Balke was born in Helgøya, Norway, on November 4, 1804. He spent his childhood in Ringsaker.
In the 1820s, Peder Balke lived on the Balke farm in Toten in Oppland county. Local farmers paid for his studies, and Balke decorated several farms in Toten in return. They actively encouraged his painting activities. Later they supported him in obtaining higher education.
Balke became an apprentice to Heinrich August Grosch in the autumn of 1827. He also studied at the Tegneskole under the direction of Grosch and Jacob Munch. Later Balke signed a two-year contract as a disciple to Jens Funch, a Danish decorator and artist. From autumn 1829 to spring 1833, he was a student of Carl Johan Fahlcrantz, attending the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm. Besides, Balke studied under Johan Christian Dahl between 1843 and 1844.
Balke made an extensive trip during the summer of 1830, walking through Telemark, Rjukan, Vestfjorddalen through Røldal and Kinsarvik to the city of Bergen, and then back through Vossevangen to Gudvangen, further over Filefjell to Valdres and then across the mountains to Hallingdal. Along his way, he created numerous small sketches that later became paintings. He also travelled to Germany, Russia, and visited such cities as Paris and London.
While in Stockholm, the artist completed several of the paintings he had started during his 1832 Finnmark tour. Some of these were sold to the royal family. In the year 1846, he managed to sell thirty of his paintings to Louis Philippe I of France for the Palace of Versailles. Besides the 17 paintings displayed at the National Gallery in Oslo, Balke's works were also exhibited at several major art collections in Norway and Sweden.
Balke purchased plots of the historic Nedre Blindern farm from 1858 till 1876. He established the Balke association, which organized the suburb. Plot buyers had the opportunity to borrow money from Balke and construct the building themselves. By 1865, there were 300 people in Balkeby and the area was populated mainly by workers. Eventually, they took in roommates, so that the population increased.
So, Balkeby gave a chance for a population to have their own houses within a reasonable distance from the city. By 1878, when the area was incorporated into the city of Oslo, about 1100 people resided there. Balke had set up strict rules for construction. For instance, to prevent the spreading of fire, he insisted on the creation of wide streets. Nevertheless, on 13 June 1879, many of the houses in Balkeby were destroyed by a fire and burned to the ground.
From North Cape
Northern Light
Coastal Landscape
Sami with Raindeer under the Midnight Sun
Lighthouse on the Norwegian Coast
Stetind in Mist
Stormy Sea
Coastal Landscape
Dresden in Moonlight
The Lighthouse
Northern Lights over Four Men in a Boat
North Cape
Nordlys, Vardø
The Trolltindene Range, Norway
Den gamle broen
Jordgamme ved Vardøhus festning
Boats in Rough Sea
Boats in Moonlight
Shipwrek, North Cape
Northern Lights
View of Fredriksten Fortress in Moonlight
Måneskinnsaften ved en norsk fjord
Utsyn over Trondheimsfjorden mot Munkholmen
Kystlandskap fra Christianiafjorden
Marine
Kronborg Slott i måneskinn fra sjøsiden
Fållnäs i Södermanland
Landskap med elv
Dampbåt og seilskip utenfor kysten
To skip mot horisonten
Peder Balke was active in the field of social justice, a concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society. He advocated grants for artists and pensions for men and women.
Peder Balke married Karen Eriksdatter Strand in 1834. He is the great-grandfather of Turid Balke and great-great-grandfather of Jon Balke.