Hugo Carlberg - Moonlight (Månsken)

Hugo Carlberg (1880-1942) Sweden

Moonlight (Månsken)

oil on canvas/board
signed H Carlberg
c.1910-1913
unframed: 58 x 74 cm (22 7/8 x 29 1/8 in)
framed: 78 x 95 cm (30 3/4 x 37 3/8 in)

Exhibited: 
Likely exhibited as
Månsken No. 11 at the Hugo Carlberg exhibition in Landstingssalen, Malmö, 1913, and again as Månsken No. 9 at the Lund University Art Museum exhibition in 1914. Both references most likely refer to this very painting.

Essay:
A rare and poetic nocturne by Swedish artist Hugo Carlberg, Moonlight evokes the hushed stillness of a moonlit landscape. Silvery reflections shimmer across the water as tall trees cast delicate silhouettes, bathed in soft, glowing light that breaks through the clouds. Atmospheric and subtly dramatic, the painting captures Carlberg’s remarkable sensitivity to light and mood.

This work was likely exhibited as Månsken No. 11 at Carlberg’s solo exhibition in Landstingssalen, Malmö in 1913, and again as Månsken No. 9 at the Lund University Art Museum in 1914—both references almost certainly referring to this very painting.

Hugo Carlberg was born in Eksjö in 1880. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm and later in Paris. Best known for his luminous landscapes, often painted en plein air, he frequently depicted the natural beauty of Småland, particularly in late winter and early spring light. In addition to oil painting, Carlberg developed a distinctive personal style in watercolor, blending techniques to create a unique “mixed” medium. His work is represented in the collection of the Kalmar Art Museum.