Målerier

Målerier is a plural term used in Danish, Norwegian and in some contexts Swedish to designate paintings, i.e., visual artworks created by applying pigments to a supporting surface. The category covers a broad range of media, styles and genres, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, religious or mythological scenes, and abstract compositions. A måleri traditionally refers to a completed work, distinct from drawings or prints, though boundaries between media are fluid in contemporary practice.

Common materials include oil on canvas, tempera on wood, watercolor or gouache on paper, and acrylic on canvas or mounted boards. Supports range from stretched canvas and wooden panels to paper, murals and fresco. Ground preparation, binding media, and layering techniques such as glazing or scumbling contribute to the appearance and durability of a måleri. Conservation addresses varnish aging, pigment stability and structural integrity.

Historically, painting has roots in ancient art, with major developments in the European Renaissance, Baroque and later movements shaping the language of målerier. In the 19th and 20th centuries, movements such as realism, impressionism, modernism and abstraction expanded subject matter and technique. In contemporary practice, målerier may incorporate mixed media, installation elements or digital influences while retaining painting as a central form.

Today, målerier are housed in museums and galleries, collected by institutions and individuals, and studied for technique, iconography and provenance. The term emphasizes the medium and practice of painting within the broader field of visual arts.