Leiv Eirikson Discovering America

Last updated

Leiv Eirikson Discovering America
Christian Krohg - Leiv Eirikson discovering America - Google Art Project.jpg
Artist Christian Krohg
Year1893
Medium Oil on canvas
Dimensions313 cm× 470 cm(123 in× 190 in)
Location National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo

Leiv Eirikson Discovering America (Norwegian : Leiv Eirikson oppdager Amerika) is a painting by Christian Krohg. It depicts the explorer Leif Erikson at the moment he discovers American land (presumably Newfoundland), as described in the sagas of Icelanders. The painting was made for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and was exhibited along with the Viking ship replica Viking . It is in the collection of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo. A copy of the painting, created by Krohg's son, Per Krohg, has hung in the United States Capitol since 1936.

Contents

Background

Christian Krohg (1852–1925) was a Norwegian painter and novelist. He came to prominence in Norway in the 1880s as a leading naturalist and as one of the Kristiania Bohemians. Beginning with Babord litt from 1879, he made several paintings depicting sailors and maritime pilots. Leiv Eirikson Discovering America can be counted to this group. [1] It was commissioned in 1891 by the Leif Erikson Memorial Association in Chicago, an organisation set up by Norwegian Americans, [2] which invited Krohg and other painters to a contest where they would paint Leif Erikson's discovery of America, as described in the medieval sagas of Icelanders. The winning painting would be exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition—the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Krohg's painting won and was sent to Chicago. [3]

Subject and composition

Leiv Eirikson Discovering America is painted in oil on canvas with the dimensions 313 cm × 470 cm (123 in × 185 in). [4] The painting presents a view from the deck of Leif Erikson's ship, looking out over the waves with land visible in the distance to the left. To the right in the picture is the title figure, holding the rudder and wearing a mustard-coloured tunic. He stands straight and points toward the land in the horizon. A few other men on deck are hunching and look seasick. [3]

Analysis and reception

The role Leiv Eirikson Discovering America played in American society has been associated with Scandinavian immigration, as the stories of pre-Columbian Nordic voyages to North America formed a part of Scandinavian American assimilation into American nationhood. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this narrative of identity caused some conflict with Italian Americans, as the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus had a similar role in their assimilation process. [5] Leiv Eirikson Discovering America was featured at the Chicago World's Fair along with the ship Viking , a replica of the Viking Age Gokstad ship, which sailed from Norway to the United States and anchored at Chicago's Jackson Park in time for the event. [3] [5] Much literature associated with the world's fair, including official programs, incorrectly identified both Viking and the ship in Krohg's painting as exact replicas of the ship Leif Erikson had sailed across the Atlantic. The large painting became a popular attraction for those who had missed Viking's arrival or wanted to relive it. [5]

Analyzing the painting in 2019, historian Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough says Leif "radiates strength and leadership" and is depicted with a purposefulness which contrasts with the other men in the image. [3] The historian Johnni Langer places Leiv Eirikson Discovering America in the same European tradition of depicting Viking voyages as Oscar Wergeland's The Norwegians Land in Iceland Year 872 (1877), and contrasts it with Arrival of the Viking in America (1845) by the German American Emanuel Leutze. This European tradition is distinguished from the American by avoiding humorous features. [6]

Provenance

Leiv Eirikson Discovering America won the Leif Erikson Memorial Association's contest and was part of the Chicago World's Fair. The world's fair also featured two paintings by Krohg's wife Oda Krohg. [7] The first years after the world's fair, Leiv Eirikson Discovering America was without a permanent home. In 1900, the Leif Erikson Memorial Association gifted it to the National Gallery in Oslo, now part of Norway's National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. [2]

The catalogue for Norway's exhibition at the Chicago World's Fair lists the painting's name as Leif Erikson Discovering America. [7] The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design uses the name Leiv Eirikson Discovering America. [4]

Norwegian exhibitions

IMG 9807 National Gallery Oslo.jpg
Former placement at the National Gallery (2018)
Leiv Eirikson discovering America (Krohg) 20230222 150038.jpg
Temporary four-week placement at the National Museum (2023)

Following its donation, the painting was displayed at various times in both the National Gallery (where it often was prominently hung above the stairwell) and the Norwegian Maritime Museum. [8] [9]

In January 2019, the National Gallery was closed to allow its collection to be moved to the National Museum's new building, which opened in June 2022. [10] Upon its opening, a decision had been made to not display the painting in the new museum, but rather to place it in storage. Following media reports in February 2023, the decision to not exhibit the painting, and the justification given by museum staff, caused controversy in Norway.

Stina Högkvist, the department director at the National Museum explained the situation to the Aftenposten newspaper, saying; "The picture is a romanticization of Norwegians who went to America. It is a colonialist image" and further added "We are now showing more female artists, more Sámi artists and more art by people whom were not born with white skin. We shall continue with this. We must have a socially relevant, fresh look at the history of art." [11]

Criticism was swift from politicians, art historians, and the general public. Eivor Evenrud, from Oslo City Council's Culture and Education Committee, called the decision "completely absurd." [11] In response to the criticism, Stina Högkvist apologized and clarified, stating that her remark was sloppy and poorly thought out, and that she didn't actually believe that the painting was colonialist. [12] Following the controversy, the National Museum temporarily displayed the painting on the new museum's main floor for four weeks. [13]

Copy at the United States Capitol

During the 74th Congress, Senator Alben W. Barkley introduced Senate Joint Resolution 165 which directed the Architect of the Capitol to accept a copy of the painting to be displayed within the United States Capitol. [14] After Congress passed the legislation, it was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 18 March 1936. [15] On 23 March 1936, during a ceremony held in National Statuary Hall, the copy was presented as a gift by the Norwegian Friends of America. Titled Leiv Eiriksson Discovers America A.D. 1000, the copy was painted by Krogh's son, Per Krohg. [16] The artwork hangs in the Capitol's Senate wing, next to the Senators' Gallery door on the building's third floor. [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leif Erikson</span> Norse explorer (c. 970 – c. 1020)

Leif Erikson, Leifur Eiríksson, Leiv Eiriksson, or Leif Ericson, also known as Leif the Lucky, was a Norse explorer who is thought to have been the first European to set foot on continental North America, approximately half a millennium before Christopher Columbus. According to the sagas of Icelanders, he established a Norse settlement at Vinland, which is usually interpreted as being coastal North America. There is ongoing speculation that the settlement made by Leif and his crew corresponds to the remains of a Norse settlement found in Newfoundland, Canada, called L'Anse aux Meadows, which was occupied approximately 1,000 years ago.

The year 1893 in art involved some significant events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design</span> National Museum in Oslo

The National Museum of Art in Norway, also known simply as the National Museum, shortened NaM is a Norwegian state-owned museum in Oslo. It holds the Norwegian state's public collection of art, architecture, and design objects. The collection totals over 400.000 works, amongst them the first copy of Edvard Munch's The Scream from 1893.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Krohg</span> Norwegian painter (1852–1925)

Christian Krohg was a Norwegian naturalist painter, illustrator, author and journalist. Krohg was inspired by the realism art movement and often chose motifs from everyday life. He was the director and served as the first professor at the Norwegian Academy of Arts from 1909 to 1925.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Nicolai Arbo</span> Norwegian painter

Peter Nicolai Arbo was a Norwegian historical painter, who specialized in portraits and allegorical scenes from Norwegian history and the Norse mythology. He is most noted for The Wild Hunt of Odin, a dramatic motif based on the Wild Hunt legend and Valkyrie, which depicts a female figure from Norse mythology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leif Erikson Day</span> Annual observance on October 9 in honor of the Norse explorer Leif Erikson

Leif Erikson Day is an annual observance that occurs on October 9. It honors Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer who led the first Europeans thought to have set foot in continental North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oda Krohg</span> Norwegian artist (1860–1935)

Oda Krohg was a Norwegian painter, and the wife of her teacher and colleague Christian Krohg.

Leif Erikson was an Icelandic explorer who was the first European known to have discovered North America.

<i>Restauration</i> (ship) 19th-century Norwegian sloop; symbol of Norwegian immigration to the US

Restauration was a sloop built in 1801, in Hardanger, Norway. It became a symbol of Norwegian American immigration. Historical sources may contain several variations on the name of the sloop, including Restauration, Restoration, Restaurasjonen, and Restorasjon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eilif Peterssen</span> Norwegian painter

Hjalmar Eilif Emanuel Peterssen was a Norwegian painter. He is most commonly associated with his landscapes and portraits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Gallery (Norway)</span> Art gallery in Oslo, Norway

The National Gallery is a gallery in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.

Knut Lindh is a Norwegian author. He has worked for several media companies, among others The Norwegian News Agency (NTB), The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), TV 2 Norway and National Geographic. Lindh graduated from The Norwegian School of Journalism in 1977 and has studied international communication and politics at the University of Minnesota. He published his first book in 1985 and has since then written novels, biographies and dictionaries. Lindh was awarded the "Fresh Blood" prize 2009 for Dead Man Rises. The prize is awarded annually for the best Norwegian crime novel debut.

<i>Albertine in the Police Doctors Waiting-Room</i> Painting by Christian Krohg

Albertine in the Police Doctor's Waiting-Room is a naturalist painting by the Norwegian artist Christian Krohg, showing the scene in a medical waiting-room.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Heyerdahl</span> Norwegian Realist painter

Hans Olaf Halvor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian Realist painter. His work was characterized by naturalism and focused largely on portraits and landscape paintings.

The Leif Erikson Awards, sometimes referred to as the Exploration Awards, are awarded annually by the Exploration Museum in Húsavík, Iceland, for achievements in exploration and for work in the field of exploration history. They are awarded in three categories; to an explorer for a lifetime achievement in exploration; to a young explorer under the age of 35 for achievements in exploration; and to a person or an organization that has worked to promote and preserve exploration history.

Bjarne Ness was a Norwegian painter and illustrator.

<i>Christening in Tanum Church</i>

Christening in Tanum Church is an oil on canvas painting by the Norwegian artist Harriet Backer. The painting was exhibited at the Autumn Exhibition (Høstutstillingen) in Oslo during 1892. Harriet Backer subsequently exhibited this painting at the Chicago World Exposition in 1893. It is currently on display at the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signe Scheel</span> Norwegian artist (1860–1942)

Signe Scheel (1860–1942) was a Norwegian painter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Tannæs</span> Norwegian artist (1854–1939)

Marie Katharine Helene Tannæs (1854–1939), was a Norwegian painter known for her landscape paintings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Leif Erikson (Chicago)</span>

The Leif Erikson statue is a monumental statue honoring Leif Erikson in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Located in the city's Humboldt Park, the statue was designed by Sigvald Asbjørnsen and erected in 1901.

References

  1. ↑ Kirkholt, Tore (16 March 2022). "Christian Krohg". Great Norwegian Encyclopedia (in Norwegian). Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 Kirkholt, Tore (26 April 2019). "Leiv Eiriksson oppdager Amerika". Great Norwegian Encyclopedia (in Norwegian). Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Barraclough, Eleanor Rosamund (2019). "The Great Viking Fake-Off: The Cultural Legacy of Norse Voyages to North America". In Birkett, Tom; Dale, Roderick (eds.). The Vikings Reimagined: Reception, Recovery, Engagement. Boston and Berlin: De Gruyter. p. 252. ISBN   978-1-5015-1815-7.
  4. 1 2 "Leiv Eirikson discovering America". National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design . Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Mulligan, Amy C. (2020). "Migration of a North Atlantic seascape: Leif Eiriksson, the 1893 World's Fair, and the Great Lakes landnám". In Machan, Tim Williams; Helgason, Jón Karl (eds.). From Iceland to the Americas: Vinland and historical imagination. Manchester Medieval Literature and Culture. Manchester University Press. doi:10.7765/9781526128768.00014. ISBN   978-1-5261-2876-8. S2CID   216500622.
  6. ↑ Langer, Johnni (2021). "Horned, barbarian, hero: the visual invention of the Viking through European art (1824–1851)". Scandia: Journal of Medieval Norse Studies. 4: 163. ISSN   2595-9107.
  7. 1 2 Catalogue of the Exhibit of Norway at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. Chicago: John Anderson Publishing Company. 1893. p. 7.
  8. ↑ Enge, Mariann (3 March 2023). "A Clear Manifestation of a Colonialist Ideology". Kunstkritikk (Nordic Art Review). Kunstkritikk Foundation. Retrieved 19 June 2023. the picture has mostly been on view in the Maritime Museum, except during the periods 2002 to 2005 and 2011 to 2019, when it hung in the stairwell of The National Gallery – and during the Nazi regime in the 1940s
  9. ↑ Kongssund, Anita (13 March 2023). "«Leiv Eiriksson oppdager Amerika» – en historikk" ["Leiv Eiriksson discovers America" – a history]. Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "The National Gallery". Nasjonalmuseet. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. 1 2 Pedersen, Bernt Erik; NTB (19 February 2023). "Reagerer mot Nasjonalmuseet: – Historieløst og farlig" [Reacting to the National Museum: A disregard for history and dangerous]. Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ↑ NRK (19 February 2023). "Direktøren for Nasjonalmuseet beklager uttalelse" [The director of the National Museum apologizes for the statement]. nrk Nyheter (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  13. ↑ Nasjonalmuseet (20 February 2023). "Vi driver ikke med kansellering" [We don't do cancellation] (Press release) (in Norwegian). Mynewsdesk. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023. Christian Krohg's painting Leiv Eiriksson Discovers America has not been cancelled by the National Museum. The painting will now be on display in the museum for the next four weeks.
  14. ↑ Congressional Record, 74th Congress, volume 79, page 11444
  15. ↑ Congressional Record, 74th Congress, volume 80, page 5410
  16. ↑ "Leiv Eiriksson Discovers America A.D. 1000". senate.gov. United States Senate. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  17. ↑ Hopkins, Katy (5 November 2009). "Eiriksson was a first, but his painting was copied". The Hill . Washington, D.C. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Capitol Project: Subject Index". American Studies at the University of Virginia. 1998. Retrieved 23 July 2023. Leiv Eiriksson Discovers America A.D. 1000 by Per Krohg after Christian Krohg, 1893 (Senate wing, third floor, east corridor)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.