Mount Kolsås by Claude Monet

In 1895, Claude Monet traveled to Norway to visit his stepson, Jean-Pierre Hoschedé, who was living near Kristiania (now Oslo). The trip took Monet to Sandvika in Bærum, where he painted a striking series of winter landscapes, primarily featuring Mount Kolsås in different lights. Though the journey was primarily personal, it’s possible that Frits Thaulow — Monet’s friend and a key figure connecting Norwegian and French art — may have encouraged the visit, bringing French Impressionism to Norway not only stylistically, but also literally.