Harriet Backer: By Lamplight (1890) | Norwegian Art Poster

An atmospheric Norwegian art poster featuring Harriet Backer’s By Lamplight from 1890. A young woman sits absorbed in a book while the glow of a paraffin lamp spreads across the blue-painted room.

Printed locally on heavyweight matte paper, as close to you as possible. Typical delivery time: 2–5 business days.

• Norwegian interior painting by Harriet Backer
• Painted in Sandvika in 1890
• Originally exhibited under the title Winter Evening
• Warm lamplight against cool blue walls
• Part of Kode’s Rasmus Meyer Collection in Bergen
• Printed on 200 gsm premium matte paper
• Available in five sizes
• Frame not included

A quiet winter evening by lamplight

A young woman sits at a table with an open book. The small paraffin lamp beside her is the room’s main source of light. Its warm glow illuminates her face, hands and the surface of the table while the rest of the interior remains subdued.

The room is simply furnished. A stove, a chair, a mirror and a few everyday objects emerge gradually from the shadows. Outside it is winter and dark, but the enclosed room feels concentrated and calm.

Blue shadows and orange light

Backer builds the painting around the relationship between cool and warm colours. Blue and violet tones cover much of the room, while the lamp and stove introduce glowing orange and yellow accents. Reflections on the chair and in the mirror carry the light further into the interior.

The broad areas of colour give the room a clear structure. Small changes in tone reveal walls, furniture and shadows without disturbing the stillness of the scene. The woman’s absorption in the book becomes part of this carefully balanced composition.

“When the drawing is finished, the colour comes by itself.”

From Winter Evening to By Lamplight

Backer painted the work while living in Sandvika in Bærum. When it appeared at Norway’s annual national art exhibition in 1890, it carried the title Winter Evening. It later became known as Ved lampelys, usually translated as By Lamplight.

The painting is also associated with the descriptive title Homework by Lamplight. The different titles all point towards the same intimate scene: a woman reading in the quiet hours of a winter evening.

Harriet Backer and the painted interior

Harriet Backer was born in Holmestrand in 1845. She studied in Norway, Munich and Paris, where encounters with French painting and Impressionism helped her develop a freer and more personal use of colour.

Interiors became central to her art. Rooms gave her an opportunity to explore perspective, reflected light and the relationship between figures and their surroundings. She painted domestic interiors, farms, churches and rooms devoted to reading or music.

Backer later ran an influential art school in Kristiania. Many younger Norwegian artists studied with her, and her teaching became an important part of Norwegian art around the turn of the century.

Artwork information

Available sizes

Quiet colour for a Scandinavian home

The deep blue walls and warm orange lamplight give the poster a peaceful evening atmosphere. It suits a living room, bedroom, reading corner, library or home office, especially in interiors with natural wood and subdued lighting.

Explore more historic paintings in our collection of Norwegian art, or read more about the original artwork in Kode’s presentation of the Rasmus Meyer Collection.

Frequently asked questions

What does By Lamplight depict?

The painting shows a young woman sitting at a table and reading in the light of a paraffin lamp on a dark winter evening.

Is this the same painting as Woman Sewing by Lamplight?

No. Harriet Backer painted both works in 1890. By Lamplight shows a woman reading and belongs to Kode in Bergen. Woman Sewing by Lamplight shows a woman threading a needle and belongs to the National Museum in Oslo.

What was the painting originally called?

When the painting was exhibited in 1890, it was titled Vinteraften, meaning Winter Evening. It later became known as Ved lampelys.

Where is the original painting?

The original belongs to Kode’s Rasmus Meyer Collection in Bergen, Norway.

What paper is used?

The poster is printed on heavyweight 200 gsm matte paper with a smooth, non-reflective surface. The paper is FSC-certified or has an equivalent certification.

Is a frame included?

No. The frame is not included, allowing you to choose one that suits the artwork and your interior.