Bent Restorff (1922-79) is an exceptional Faroese artist. His path to art was longer than most artists, perhaps because the self-taught painter, who also worked in construction, never received formal art education. In any case, it was not until the 1970s that his career as a professional painter overtook his earlier role as an amateur—although he had already created artistically significant works before this time.

Early on, Bent Restorff was recognized as an experi-mental artist. However, he never truly found his own distinct artistic style, as even in the last ten years of his career, unexpected shifts in style can be seen. Around this time, the city of Tórshavn and the surrounding areas, particularly the harbor, became his main subject matter, often explored in multiple works as a theme with variations. This was a world he depicted both naturalistically and abstractly, at times focusing on imitation, at other times emphasizing freedom, but also with various stylistic deviations.

Many paintings from this period are broadly and skillfully sketched, but rougher and more original representations can also be seen alongside fine, carefully executed works. From time to time, the artist ventures into pure abstractions, even of a geometric nature, not to mention the expressionistic figural representations that can be found in both his earlier and later works.

The same transitional quality is evident in his use of color, where strong, warm colors suddenly emerge among the usual pale and cool pastels, and the thickness of the paint can vary. In this stylistic movement back and forth, there are also clear traces of other Faroese artists, with Poul Horsdal, Thomas Arge, and, not least, his close friend Ingálvur av Reyni being the most significant influences.

That being said, Bent Restorff is simultaneously the artist behind some of the finest coloristic paintings in Faroese art. These paintings are characterized by a cool charm and bear comparison with the best of Faroese art overall.

In summary, his work radiates joy in color in its own right, not just as a way to imitate nature. Here, his liberated and untrained approach stands out—an approach that also led to the very first purely abstract painting in Faroese art. In this way, Bent Restorff was an amateur in the best sense of the word.