DOI Heft:
No. 42 (September, 1896)
DOI Artikel:Hammer, K. V.: Gerhard Munthe, decorative artist
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17297#0241
Gerhard Munthe
DESIGN FOR TAPESTRY, " THE DAUGHTERS OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS " BY GERHARD MUNTHE
to the old ballads and legends ; but everything of ideas is far removed from the " quiet flowers in
he produces he invents, unfettered, from the very a row," and has a claim rather to be led in the
motives—often only knitted to a stanza in a poem direction of everything romantic and strong.
—to the individual ornaments themselves. His The ideas and incidents of the three designs here
views are peculiar to himself, as is his style—the reproduced do not refer to any known legends,
consistent, accomplished style of decorative art. They are original in conception. Mr. Munthe
He builds up his work upon every kind of calls one of these The Daughters of the Northern
design to be found in our hereditary art, but often Lights {Aurora Borealis) and their Suitors.
perceives in the old Norwegian tapestry that art Another illustration is called Workrad, from a
which he, with predilection, uses for his own Norwegian word signifying " afraid of the gloom"
purposes. It is, as he himself calls it, a distin- —that curious sensation proceeding from excited
guished and fastidious art which easily makes all imagination which makes one fancy that there are
that is hackneyed still more hackneyed. In it he creatures stealing about and staring at you from the
discovers the strong yet sober colours and the corners of a room.
simple designs which we meet with in his works. The third decorative scheme, called The Tower
Gerhard Munthe has thus, in his decorative of Blood, represents a fair youth imprisoned by an
branch, gained knowledge from every source of ogre, and kept by him that his gentle manners and
national art, but he only devotes himself to its appearance may inspire the traveller with confidence
deepest characteristics. He never employs the to pass the night in the guest chamber of the Tower.
Norwegian flora or fauna in designing, just as Down below in the cellars await the strange servitors
little, indeed, as these have been used in former standing about the mystic vat.
ages. It is his opinion that the Norwegian train K. V. Hammer.
223
DESIGN FOR TAPESTRY, " THE DAUGHTERS OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS " BY GERHARD MUNTHE
to the old ballads and legends ; but everything of ideas is far removed from the " quiet flowers in
he produces he invents, unfettered, from the very a row," and has a claim rather to be led in the
motives—often only knitted to a stanza in a poem direction of everything romantic and strong.
—to the individual ornaments themselves. His The ideas and incidents of the three designs here
views are peculiar to himself, as is his style—the reproduced do not refer to any known legends,
consistent, accomplished style of decorative art. They are original in conception. Mr. Munthe
He builds up his work upon every kind of calls one of these The Daughters of the Northern
design to be found in our hereditary art, but often Lights {Aurora Borealis) and their Suitors.
perceives in the old Norwegian tapestry that art Another illustration is called Workrad, from a
which he, with predilection, uses for his own Norwegian word signifying " afraid of the gloom"
purposes. It is, as he himself calls it, a distin- —that curious sensation proceeding from excited
guished and fastidious art which easily makes all imagination which makes one fancy that there are
that is hackneyed still more hackneyed. In it he creatures stealing about and staring at you from the
discovers the strong yet sober colours and the corners of a room.
simple designs which we meet with in his works. The third decorative scheme, called The Tower
Gerhard Munthe has thus, in his decorative of Blood, represents a fair youth imprisoned by an
branch, gained knowledge from every source of ogre, and kept by him that his gentle manners and
national art, but he only devotes himself to its appearance may inspire the traveller with confidence
deepest characteristics. He never employs the to pass the night in the guest chamber of the Tower.
Norwegian flora or fauna in designing, just as Down below in the cellars await the strange servitors
little, indeed, as these have been used in former standing about the mystic vat.
ages. It is his opinion that the Norwegian train K. V. Hammer.
223