Greenlandic art is influenced by artists who have travelled and explored the country for extended or short periods of time. They are often referred to as expedition artists or Greenland painters, and a lot of the art still being made in Greenland is rooted in this tradition.
The first Greenland painters were sent by the Danish State in the early 19th century. They travelled to make a visual documentation of the expeditions, and they often served as teachers for Greenlandic artists for short periods of time. These mainly Danish painters often created romantic depictions of nature, and to draw attention to the Danish colony in the north, their works were exhibited in several places in Europe.
Artists in the period before Hans Lynge and Jens Rosing were particularly inspired by these painters, and they picked up on their style.

NUUK ART MUSEUM, 2017
Further reading
- Hans Egede and the work for the mission service
- Hans Lynge and Jens Rosing
- Museums of cultural history and heritage
- The colonial period until the war years
- Visual arts and crafts
Read more about Culture in Greenland