January Light (Valdres)

"Januarlys (Valdres)" – 1999

Watercolour on paper
Signed: Sigurd Bergmann

A quiet hush blankets the winter landscape in this serene watercolour from 1999. Painted during a period of introspective clarity in Sigurd Bergmann’s later years, Januarlys (Valdres) captures the soft, diffused light of a Nordic January — the kind of light that turns snow into silver and pine needles into poetry.

A vivid red cabin draws the eye toward the center, nestled between distant tree lines and under a flock of birds drifting across a pale winter sky. The delicate handling of green and blue tones evokes the stillness of freshly fallen snow, while the scattered trees in the foreground gently guide the viewer into the landscape.

There’s a deep sense of place and memory here — likely inspired by the artist’s connection to Valdres, a region known for its dramatic nature and emotional resonance in Bergmann’s life. This piece is not just a landscape, it’s a feeling — of light, solitude, and the warmth we find in cold places.