First published 2023
Anna-Eva Bergman grows up in Norway under the constant shadow of fear before embarking on a bohemian journey across Europe. She works as an illustrator, encounters the dangers of Nazi Germany, and faces mounting health challenges. Bergman marries three times, twice to fellow artist Hans Hartung, as she dedicates herself to creating paintings that capture the universe's elemental forces. Using gold and silver leaf, she develops a distinctive style that remains radical and uncompromising. Art historians overlook her work for decades while she crosses paths with major artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Pierre Soulages, and Mark Rothko. Despite her talent, Bergman remains largely unknown in her homeland and gains only scattered support in France and Europe. Her story unfolds against the backdrop of a changing art world that fails to recognize her vision. The narrative follows her from fearful childhood through adventurous youth to a tragic conclusion in an Antibes villa, revealing an artist whose mystical ambitions drove her to defy artistic fashion.
Genres: art, historical-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction, european-literature, art-history
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: tragic-hero, underappreciated-artist
Setting: Norway, Europe, Nazi Germany, France, Antibes
Period: 20th Century
486 pages · Hardcover · Eris
Content warnings: mental-illness, physical-abuse