Lisbeth Bergh
Norwegian, 1861-1927
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Elisabeth “Lisbeth” Mathea Bergh was a Norwegian illustrator, landscape painter, marine painter, art teacher and author.
Lisbeth Bergh was the daughter of Anthon Mathias Bergh, an officer and senior teacher at Kristiania Technical School, and Maren Oline Krag. Her father was a prolific painter and a popular drawing teacher and children's book author.
She was one of the leading artists along with Erik Werenskiold, Eilif Peterssen, Hans Heyerdahl, Christian Krohg in Kristiania in the period 1885-1888. She studied with Puvis de Chavannes in Paris in the winter of 1889-1890.
Her paintings were first shown at the Autumn Exhibition in 1885. She also exhibited there in 1886-1889, 1891, 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1899. She initially worked with landscape paintings, but soon switched to a less serious style, with illustrations aimed at children.
Lisbeth Bergh became best known for her book illustrations, both through her own publications of captioned picture books and through illustrations in books written by others. Her books were popular in Norway, but several were also published in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Bohemia and Italy. The books often depict the good and carefree life in the countryside, where the pictures show detached individual situations with short texts. The expression is naturalistic, but highly simplified.
The first of her picture books was published in 1896, entitled Smaa venner paa Landet. The book was created during a study visit to Jæren, and is characterized by this. Her most famous book is considered to be Fra Sæteren. The book was created in collaboration with Elling Holst, who wrote the texts and set the songs in the book to music.
In addition to pure pictures and illustrations, Bergh also created patterns for fretwork, instructions for making toys and furniture for dolls' houses, cut-outs, calendars and book bindings.
Bergh taught drawing at Bonnevie's school in Kristiania and also gave private lessons to adults in illustrative drawing, a subject for which she also wrote a book.
