Scandinavian Traveling Trunks

 By Amanda Munro 

When you visit the Nordic Heritage museum there is a lot to take in, but one thing that always intrigued me was the trunks on display that were once used to immigrate to America. These old trunks interest me simply for the fact of how they traveled with something so big and bulky unlike our more manageable suitcases, but also for the fact of bringing all of your belongs into a limited amount of space to a unknown land that claimed to have its streets paved with gold. What on earth would you bring? Nordic immigrants filled these beautifully decorated trunks with clothes, linens, shoes, bibles, pots and pans, and whatever else they needed for the long trek to a new land.

These trunks were always decorated ethnically to where that individual was from. Most commonly rosemaled, these trunks also had the name of the trunks owner, along with the year, stylistically written. After being used these trunks were kept in the home as a piece of furniture and a reminder of their native land. These trunks are admired and passed down through generations. I admire these trunks whenever I see them because they are a big piece of our heritage to see what our family members did and how even through traveling they preserved their culture.

Winter 2014 Highlights

It's hard to believe it's almost mid-winter break already, but we've had a stimulating and productive Winter session so far. Check out a few of the highlights and stay tuned for blog posts from the NHTC members soon!

LEGOS!
After some exploration, and an in-depth discussion of the ideas of craft and heritage, we kicked back for a little thematically appropriate Lego-time (Legos are a Danish product-- didn't you know?)  Everyone was happy to spend some time building Legos at the end of the session!

ROSEMÅLING!
We were very lucky that Museum volunteer Barb Johnson was able to join us as a guest presenter a few weeks ago.  She shared her knowledge and skills about the art and craft of traditional Norwegian rosemåling.  In addition to bringing her work, and some painting supplies, she also brought her famous almond cake! Another thing we learned about Barb-- she's not even Norwegian!  A good example of personal heritage.  Thanks for a great experience, Barb!

Barb starts off with some information about the origins of rosemåling.

Here Barb explains that the Rogaland style of rosemåling 
is characterized by a symmetrical design. 
(On the back table is a small sample of Barb's own work). 

How do you even read this pattern? Where do you begin? 
Barb had some good tips.

After Barb's presentation, the NHTC members got to try their hand  at rosemåling. 
Here are Amanda, Sophia and Eli.

And here Nigel and Evan are working away.

Rosemåling

Rosemaled Trunk by Marjory Johnson Wood
http://www.mnartists.org

Rosemåling, or decorative painting, is a Norwegian folk art form that arose in the mid-eighteenth century.  also exists in Sweden, where it is called kurbitsmålning. Inspired by European Baroque and Rococo art styles, it utilizes floral and flowing designs as well as an array of colors. It is commonly found on pots, pans, and trunks, among other things.

I've seen rosemåling on many of my grandma's pots and pans over the years. Although I found it pretty, I never regarded it as anything special. Upon further research, I've learned that I was wrong and that it once played a significant role in Norwegian morale.

When the Nazis occupied Norway in World War II, it was illegal to display a Norwegian flag or State Coat of Arms (the punishment was imprisonment or, occasionally, death). To combat this control, some Norwegians would paint hidden characters into their rosemåling. Often, these took the form of the letter "H" and the number "7," which paid respect to the exiled Norwegian king, Haakon VII. This way, the Germans could not see the letters, but the Norwegians knew they were there; they were symbols of Norwegian patriotism and hope in the face of subjugation.

Nowadays, rosemåling more commonly plays a purely decorative role. After resurfacing as a respected art form in the 20th century, rosemåled pieces have become more popular throughout the world. Museums and art studios across the country now offer rosemåling classes, where students can learn to paint in the old art form and create new pieces that reflect rosemåling's unique history.

-Lauren