Sami In Snowstorm (1904-1905 CE)

Lappar i Snöstorm, known in English as Sami in Snowstorm, is a striking watercolor painting by Swedish artist John Bauer, portraying Sami people navigating a fierce snowstorm on skis. Created during his 1904 expedition to Lappland, this artwork vividly captures the rugged beauty of the northern landscape and the resilience of the Sami. Featured in the 1908 book Lappland: The Great Swedish Land of the Future, the painting  blends artistic mastery with ethnographic observation, inviting viewers to explore the interplay of nature and culture in Sweden’s far north.

John Bauer, born in Jönköping in 1882, is renowned for his fairy-tale illustrations in Among gnomes and trolls, but Sami in a Snowstorm stems from his 1904 (or possibly 1905) journey to Lappland. Commissioned by publisher Carl Adam Victor Lundholm, Bauer spent a month in Abisko, sketching and photographing Sami people, their clothing, tools, and environment. These observations formed the basis for the painting, one of 11 large watercolors he created for the 1908 publication edited by Olof Bergqvist and Fredrik Svenonius. The book aimed to document Lappland’s natural resources and indigenous Sami population, reflecting early 20th-century Swedish interest in the region as a “future land.” 

Bauer’s Lappland expedition profoundly influenced his art, with details like Sami reindeer skins, hoods, and belts appearing in his later troll illustrations. For example, the distinctive Sami attire he documented—such as wide belts with curved knives—recur in his fantastical depictions of folklore characters. The painting’s role in a book promoting Lappland’s potential reflects the era’s fascination with the region’s exotic allure.

Sami in Snowstorm is culturally and artistically significant as both a historical record and a reflection of early 20th-century Swedish attitudes toward the Sami. The painting captures the harsh realities of life in Lappland while romanticizing the Sami as resilient figures intertwined with nature. This portrayal aligns with the period’s tendency to view the Sami as “noble savages,” a stereotype that celebrated their culture but often oversimplified it. During this time, the Sami faced aggressive assimilation policies from the Swedish state, including restrictions on reindeer herding and forced schooling that separated children from their cultural roots. Today, Sami in a Snowstorm prompts critical discussions about cultural representation, as its romanticized imagery is reevaluated in light of these historical injustices. Artistically, Bauer’s watercolor technique, with its evocative depiction of a swirling snowstorm, showcases his skill in creating atmospheric depth.

The artwork is a watercolor painting, a medium Bauer mastered for its ability to convey delicate, atmospheric effects. Bauer used layered watercolor washes to depict the chaotic motion of the snowstorm, with meticulous attention to details like Sami clothing—reindeer and wolf skins, hoods, and belts—drawn from his sketches and photographs.

 Sami in Snowstorm was created around 1904, commissioned by Carl Adam Victor Lundholm, the painting was part of a series of illustrations based on Bauer’s Lappland expedition. After its publication, the original watercolor became part of the Jönköpings läns museum’s collections, where it remains a key piece in their Bauer holdings.