Early Life, Family and Training

Mathias Blumenthal was born in 1719 to a family of German-Danish descent. His father, also named Mathias Blumenthal, was a rittmeister who had traveled from Riga to Gentofte, Denmark. This lineage placed the young painter within a specific European tradition of craftsmanship and movement. Growing up in this environment, he would eventually find his way toward the formal study of art.

His training took place in Copenhagen, where he received academic art instruction. He likely studied under the court painter Hinrich Krock, absorbing the technical methods required for the era's specific demands. This period of study provided the foundation for his later work as a painter and craftsman. His education was not merely about the brush, but about understanding the formal structures of the time.

As he developed his skills, his path led him away from his birthplace toward broader horizons. He traveled through Germany, France, and Holland, and perhaps even Italy. These movements through different landscapes and cities helped shape the hand of a man who would eventually settle in Norway. His early years were defined by this steady accumulation of technical knowledge and geographic movement.

Artistic Activity in Bergen

In the final fourteen years of his life, Mathias Blumenthal settled in Bergen. He moved through the city as a painter and a craftsman, taking on various roles to meet the needs of his surroundings. He referred to himself as a "Historie- og Portraitskildrer," a title that reflected his focus on capturing both the likeness of individuals and the weight of historical subjects. His work was not limited to the canvas; he functioned as a decorator and a craftsman, integrating his skills into the physical spaces of the community.

His approach to painting relied on a specific visual language. He drew upon his knowledge of classical mythology to build his compositions, using symbols and allegories to communicate meaning. This method allowed him to move beyond simple representation, weaving literary thought and symbolic imagery into his portraits and decorative works. He worked with the tools of his trade to translate these complex ideas into visual form, often blending the formal requirements of portraiture with the decorative needs of his patrons.

• Portrait of Elisabeth Geelmuyden Gyldenkrantz (1753)
• View of Halden (1747)

Key Works and Engravings

His brushwork captured the specificities of the Norwegian landscape and the quiet presence of its people. In 1746, he painted a Norwegian winter Landscape, a work that looks closely at the seasonal shift. His interest in the local terrain continued with a View of Halden in 1747. He also turned his attention to portraiture, such as his 1753 painting of Elisabeth Geelmuyden Gyldenkrantz.

Beyond his paintings, he worked with copperplate engravings, often collaborating on prints that documented the geography of the region. In 1755, several of these engravings were published, including The Seven Sisters, The Road across the Mountain Filefjell, and The Island Torghatten. These works show a technical precision in how he translated the ruggedness of the landscape into print.