Ecke Hedberg - Månglitter (“Moon Glitter”), c. 1904–1905

Ecke Hedberg (1868–1959)

Månglitter (“Moon Glitter”), c. 1904–1905

oil on canvas
signed
unframed 52 × 72.5 cm (20½ × 28½ in.)
framed 68 × 88 cm (26¾ × 34¾ in.) 

Exhibited:
Konstnärshuset, joint exhibition of Erik Hedberg, Wilhelm Smith, and Pelle Swedlund, 1905, cat. no. 14: Månglitter.

Provenance:
Private collection, Gothenburg.

Essay:
Månglitter is a luminous nocturne that captures the tranquil radiance of moonlight dancing across a still expanse of water. In this atmospheric composition, a lone rowboat rests at the water’s edge beneath shadowy trees, while the full moon’s reflection stretches in a shimmering golden path across deep blue-black waves. Hedberg employs a restrained, nocturnal palette – rich indigo and velvety midnight tones contrasted with the silvery glow of moonlight – to evoke a mood of quiet contemplation and mystery. The scene is rendered with broad yet confident brushstrokes, subtly blending realism with a poetic, almost dreamlike quality. The result is a compelling harmony of light and shadow, conveying the hushed stämning(mood) of a Scandinavian night.

Painted around 1904–05, Månglitter exemplifies Hedberg’s mastery of stämningsmåleri (mood painting) within his landscape oeuvre. Hedberg – whose given name was Claes Erik Alexander but who went by “Ecke” – was a Swedish landscape painter celebrated for his ability to capture the elusive Nordic light. Educated at the Royal Academy in Stockholm, he later settled in rural Gästrikland (northern Sweden) in 1901, immersing himself in its natural scenery. He has even been called “Gästrikland’s artistic discoverer,” renowned for portraying the province’s lakes, forests, and skies with sensitivity. His talent for depicting nature’s transient light effects is on full display in Månglitter: with bold, expressive brushwork and keen attention to atmospheric detail, Hedberg here captures the Scandinavian Nordic light in the best possible manner. The painting’s serene, moonlit ambiance aligns with Hedberg’s broader fascination with seasonal moods – from autumn twilight scenes to spring dawns – yet Månglitter stands out as an especially refined and technically accomplished example in his body of work.

Månglitter made its debut at a notable 1905 exhibition in Stockholm. In March of that year, Hedberg participated in a joint show at Konstnärshuset (Artists’ House) alongside his contemporaries Wilhelm Smith and Pelle Swedlund. Listed as “Månglitter” in the exhibition catalogue (no. 14), the painting garnered critical acclaim during the show. The writer Henning Berger, reviewing the exhibition, singled out Månglitter for its exceptional technical quality, observing that its execution surpassed even Hedberg’s other seasonal works on display. Berger praised the piece’s confident technique and enchanting effect, placing it among the highlights of Hedberg’s contribution to the exhibition. This contemporary recognition underscores Månglitter’s significance within Hedberg’s oeuvre: it was celebrated as a tour-de-force of måleri(painterly skill) that eloquently captured a fleeting natural atmosphere.