Studio: international art (10.1897)

Early Scandinavian Wood-Carvings

greater relief. There is thus a sort of gradation in will be seen on Fig. i. Those who are ac-

the amount of relief, and consequently of light quainted with the crosses of the Isle of Man (see

and shade, between the unornamented parts and J. G. Cumming's Runic Remains of the Isle of

those in greatest relief. A peculiar feature of Man, and Archceologia Cambrensis for 1S66, p.

Norse wood-carving is the way in which the flat 156) will at once recognise many of the patterns

hands of the interlaced work and the stems of the on this chair, especially those on the front part of

foliage are emphasised with an incised line next to the back (Fig. 1). The designs also correspond

the margin on each side. with those on the ancient walrus ivory chess-men*

The mediaeval artists had a great advantage over found in the parish of

their modern successors in the number of sources Uig in the Island of

to which they could go for inspiration. The Lewis in 1831, some

bestiary supplied them with innumerable stories of of which are now in

creatures both real and imaginary; the belief in the the British Museum,

mythical adventures of the heroes of the Edda was and the remainder

hardly less strong for two or three centuries before in the Edinburgh

the introduction of Christianity than it had been Museum (see Archce-

in the time of the pagan Vikings; and the ologia, vol. xxiv. p.

romances of chivalry were in the full tide of their 203). The kings,

popularity. queens and bishops

The only figure subject which occurs on the of these chess-men are

Tyldalens chair, is on the central medallion of the

front face of the back (Fig. 1). A man is here
represented as contending with two beasts and
grasping them with both hands.* His feet arc-
fettered with serpents intertwined. This is pos-
sibly intended for the
bound Loki, the Scandi-
navian Devil.

The difference be-
tween the Celtic and
the Scandinavian inter-
laced patterns is that the
former are derived from
the plait whilst the latter
are nearly always com-
posed of rings or chains
of rings or loops, like
those a child would draw
when intending to re-
present smoke coming
out of a chimney. The
interlaced rings are often
square and rectangular
instead of round and
oval. Examples of this

* This peculiar grasping
attitude occurs in the Book of
Kelts and other Irish works,
and is extremely common in
the Scandinavian metal-work
of the Early Iron Age, whence
the Celtic designers possibly
got the idea (see Dr. Hans
I lildebrand's Scandinavian

Art). fig. 6.—carved wooden chair from lom. left side

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