Sunlight Through the Trees (Fontainebleau)

Although often associated with Symbolism, Valdemar Schønheyder Møller’s experiments with light and perception also connect him to late Impressionism. The French critic Léon Bazalgette called him “le peintre du soleil” (“the painter of the sun") and indeed, the artist was fascinated by the physical experience of looking into sunlight. He tried to capture the shimmering reds, violets, oranges, and yellows the eye perceives when facing the sun. His interest in optical effects was closely connected to photography, a passion he shared with his friend Vilhelm Hammershøi. He also spent time in Skagen, where he became close to Anna Ancher, who painted his portrait in 1893.

After moving to France with his wife in 1894, Schønheyder Møller settled in Fontainebleau, where he created many of his remarkable sun paintings. His career was tragically short: suffering from mental illness, he stopped painting in 1901 and died in Aarhus in 1905, aged only 41. Although his work initially attracted international attention, he was later largely forgotten. Today, his luminous paintings are being rediscovered as strikingly modern experiments in which light itself becomes the subject.

P.S. The fascination with sunlight didn't end with Schønheyder Møller. A generation later, Edvard Munch also turned the sun into a subject in its own right, exploring its overwhelming brightness, color, and emotional power. His monumental The Sun pushes this idea even further, transforming light into an almost abstract, radiant force. You can order The Sun as a premium-quality print in our online DailyArt Shop. 

P.P.S. The Impressionists weren't the only artists fascinated by natural light. Take a tour through these brilliant golden hour paintings!