I have to admit that I prefer the black and white ones.
Oh I agree. I think they are his best work. sadly in Norway he is best known for his more cheerful fairytale illustrations, but I think that is connected to the status of the "Asbjørnsen and Moe's Fairytale" collection. That collection was released prior to Norway's independence from Sweden, and so it became part of the national-romantic movement and obtained a ideological aspect that also influenced the way people viewed its illustrations. So Kittelsen's fairytale illustrations are seen as "more" than just illustrations in Norway, if that makes sense? They have in a way received another dimension of being "typical Norwegian" and part of the "Norwegian ideological make-up".
But its funny you should mention "Winter Night", because that is my favourite besides the Plague images.
It's a shame that there is no literature on Norwegian illustration of this time. Or is there?)
Not that much I'm afraid. Norwegian Art Historical writing have been very focused on the development of Expressionism and Modernism (mainly because of Edvard Munch I guess), and the fairytale illustrations have by and large only been dealt with in artists monographs, but never, as far as I know, been seen as a whole. I know of one book about Kittelsen in English and that is: "Leif Østby: Theodor Kittelsen - Tegninger og Akvareller. Grøndahl & Dreyers Forlag 1993". That book has both Norwegian and English text, though the best part of it is all the illustrations.
the visual interpretation of Tristan and Isolde in British paintings/murals/glass windows/tapestries
Fascinating! I must admit that I don't that much about the Pre-Raphaelites beyond the basics. Any reason why you chose to focus on the Tristan and Isolde legend?
At the moment I am working (or better: completing, for which I am eternally grateful:-))my doctor thesis on illustrations and paintings etc. to the Brother Grimm's fairy tales, 1812-1945 in German-speaking countries
That is very interesting! I visited the Grimm museum in Kassell about a year ago, and was absolutely captivated by all the illustrations. And yes, its extremely interesting how fairytales and legends are used for political purposes - like you mention with Tristan and Isolde and Grimm. I guess the way art can fall back on the free fancy of its narratives makes it ideal for capturing ideological messages. What I saw in Goslar was how the artist could use some rather explicit imagery (with Wilhelm I as a saviour greeted by palm branches and so forth)that never would have worked had it been staged in real life. But since it is art things can be allowed to go over the top, and rhetorically that makes for a rather potent combination. If that makes sense? See, now I'm the one that gets carried away.
(an yay for completing the thesis btw! Must be great to soon be finished.)
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Date: 2007-09-13 06:55 pm (UTC)Oh I agree. I think they are his best work. sadly in Norway he is best known for his more cheerful fairytale illustrations, but I think that is connected to the status of the "Asbjørnsen and Moe's Fairytale" collection. That collection was released prior to Norway's independence from Sweden, and so it became part of the national-romantic movement and obtained a ideological aspect that also influenced the way people viewed its illustrations. So Kittelsen's fairytale illustrations are seen as "more" than just illustrations in Norway, if that makes sense? They have in a way received another dimension of being "typical Norwegian" and part of the "Norwegian ideological make-up".
But its funny you should mention "Winter Night", because that is my favourite besides the Plague images.
It's a shame that there is no literature on Norwegian illustration of this time. Or is there?)
Not that much I'm afraid. Norwegian Art Historical writing have been very focused on the development of Expressionism and Modernism (mainly because of Edvard Munch I guess), and the fairytale illustrations have by and large only been dealt with in artists monographs, but never, as far as I know, been seen as a whole. I know of one book about Kittelsen in English and that is: "Leif Østby: Theodor Kittelsen - Tegninger og Akvareller. Grøndahl & Dreyers Forlag 1993". That book has both Norwegian and English text, though the best part of it is all the illustrations.
the visual interpretation of Tristan and Isolde in British paintings/murals/glass windows/tapestries
Fascinating! I must admit that I don't that much about the Pre-Raphaelites beyond the basics.
Any reason why you chose to focus on the Tristan and Isolde legend?
At the moment I am working (or better: completing, for which I am eternally grateful:-))my doctor thesis on illustrations and paintings etc. to the Brother Grimm's fairy tales, 1812-1945 in German-speaking countries
That is very interesting! I visited the Grimm museum in Kassell about a year ago, and was absolutely captivated by all the illustrations. And yes, its extremely interesting how fairytales and legends are used for political purposes - like you mention with Tristan and Isolde and Grimm. I guess the way art can fall back on the free fancy of its narratives makes it ideal for capturing ideological messages. What I saw in Goslar was how the artist could use some rather explicit imagery (with Wilhelm I as a saviour greeted by palm branches and so forth)that never would have worked had it been staged in real life. But since it is art things can be allowed to go over the top, and rhetorically that makes for a rather potent combination. If that makes sense? See, now I'm the one that gets carried away.
(an yay for completing the thesis btw! Must be great to soon be finished.)