Medieval wood carving from Iceland

Valþjóðstaðarhurð, the door from the Church in Valthjódstadir, is one of the finest pieces of Icelandic wood carving - and one of the oldest samplest that we have from the Middle Ages. It is  dated approximately 1200.

Since there is ample information about the motifs and the carving of the door, both on the internet and in handbooks on medieval wood carving, I only publish here a couple of details. The door is now exhibited in the National Museum of Iceland.

Olustvere and traditional Icelandic wood carving

In July (2017)I took part in an international Craft Camp arranged by Viljandi kultuurakadeemia in Olustvere mois, Estonia. There were participants from 17 different countries, many of them with Estonian ancestry. We were 15 altogether from Iceland. We could choose between a variety of workshops, and I chose plaiting, dyeing with plants and wood carving.

Now, when back at home, I feel so empowered and full of ideas that I do not know from which end to begin.  Meanwhile I shall publish here some photos of pieces of traditional Icelandic wood carving, exhibited in the National Museum. The first one is a chair from about 1500. In front there are roundels with zodiac signs in them and the name in Latin and in runic inscription. 

There are three chairs of the similar type in the museum and they are supposed to have belonged to the Grund estate in northern Iceland. The one depicted here is thought to have been the chair of Thórunn, daughter of Jón Arason, the last Catholic bishop of Iceland, who was beheaded in 1550 by the reformists.

I have been interested in these chairs a long time and even considered of making something similar myself, a kind of modern version, and draw a design for it.  Now I only have to find time for realizing this dream!