Painted by a Norwegian

 I don't often look at the stats for this blog, but when I do I always check to see which countries are giving Nigeness the most views. Today I was surprised to find that Hong Kong, a territory that I don't think had ever featured before, is now in second place – way, way ahead of the US, which itself is way ahead of the UK, which is not far clear of, er, Singapore. And who is in the coveted number one spot? Why, it's Norway again, a whisker ahead of Hong Kong (who I suspect will fade fast). 
  I've observed the strong Norwegian interest in this blog before, and put up obliging posts (this one, for example). So now here is another painting by a son of Norway, though it doesn't look in the slightest degree Norwegian. The picture above, titled Turner Fernisserer, shows J.M.W. Turner on a 'varnishing day', an occasion which he invariably used to finish his paintings in public, doing a great deal more than just applying varnish, while onlookers marvelled at the last-minute magic he wrought. Turner Fernisserer was painted, on a visit to London, by a Norwegian artist  with a very English name – Thomas Fearnley. He was a painter mainly of Romantic landscapes, and he owed his English name to a grandfather, also Thomas Fearnley, a merchant who emigrated from Canada to Norway. The painter Fearnley's brother was an astronomer, and his son founded a dynasty of shipping magnates. 
  Once again I salute you, Norway!