About this artwork
Signed and dated just three years after Norway gained independence from Sweden, this chair is an emblem of Norwegian cultural pride. It recalls medieval carvings and Norse mythology, with dragons, kings, trolls, and wolves set among interlacing scrolls and tendrils. Lars Kinsarvik promoted this Norwegian nationalist style, called Viking Revival, at his woodcarving school on the Sunnmøre fjord, where he trained an entire generation of young carvers. Kinsarvik’s carvings helped establish Norway on the international scene: they were prominently displayed at world’s fairs and at hotels serving the nation’s burgeoning tourism industry.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 246
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Department
- Applied Arts of Europe
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Artist
- Lars Kinsarvik
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Title
- Chair
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Place
- Norway (Object made in)
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Date
- 1908
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Medium
- Pine and pigment
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Dimensions
- 108 × 70 × 62 cm (42 9/16 × 27 9/16 × 24 7/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Applied Arts of Europe General Endowment Fund; purchased with funds provided by Mrs. John T. Golitz
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Reference Number
- 2023.2900
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.