Asgrimur Jonsson

Key facts

Lived

1876–1958, Icelandic^[2]

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• What is Asgrimur Jonsson known for?+

  Ásgrímur Jónsson is known for his landscape paintings of Iceland's volcanic mountains, rivers, and skies. He also painted murals for Icelandic^[2] churches and produced illustrations of the old sagas.
• What should I know about Asgrimur Jonsson's prints?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson (1876^[2]-1958^[2]) was an Icelandic^[2] artist, born in southern Iceland. He is known for paintings inspired by Icelandic folk tales. Jonsson was among the first Icelanders to make a career as a professional painter. Jonsson studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1903^[2] to 1908. He travelled around Europe, studying art and painting. He is known to have produced a number of illustrations. Jonsson's work often depicts figures from Icelandic folklore, such as elves and trolls. These subjects reflect an interest in Iceland's cultural heritage. Jonsson's art is accessible to a wide audience because of its narrative content. He aimed to interpret Icelandic folk material for the general public. Jonsson's house in Reykjavik, built in 1933, was one of the first buildings designed specifically as a studio and exhibition space. It is now a museum dedicated to his art.
• What style or movement did Asgrimur Jonsson belong to?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson (1876^[2]-1958^[2]) is considered Iceland's first professional painter. He is best known for his paintings inspired by Icelandic^[2] folk tales. Jonsson's style has been linked to several movements; these include symbolism and expressionism. Some consider his work to be naivism. These categorisations reflect the varied nature of his artistic output. Jonsson's art often incorporated mystical and nationalistic elements. These interests align with the symbolist movement, which explored dreamlike and spiritual subjects. His use of bold colours and simplified forms also connects to expressionism, which sought to convey emotion over realistic representation. The designation of 'naivism' acknowledges the self-taught or folk-art-influenced quality of some of his paintings. These qualities contribute to his unique position in Icelandic art history.
• What techniques or materials did Asgrimur Jonsson use?+

  Information regarding Asgrimur Jonsson's techniques is scarce; however, some sources discuss related methods used by other artists. Some artists working with glass developed new types of pictures using opaque glass, rather than transparent window glass held together with lead. This allowed the work to be hung on a wall or mounted as part of the architecture. The technique involved sandblasting flashed glass; this type typically had a milk-glass body covered with a thin film of another colour, such as black or red. Sandblasting was used to grind a relief into the glass, similar to the way a tombstone carver engraves names. Glass-painter colours could also be applied and made permanent by burning in a kiln, although this limited the colour possibilities. In sculpture, artists sometimes combined materials, using nails to represent hair in ancient-seeming heads. The selection of materials influenced both the techniques and the forms used to symbolise body parts.
• What was Asgrimur Jonsson known for?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson (born in 1876^[2], died in 1958^[2]) was an Icelandic^[2] artist. In 1954^[2], the Icelandic Printmaker's Association (IPA) was founded by artists who had gained experience with printmaking abroad. The association was revitalised in 1969 and, today, has forty-one members. They qualify by holding advanced degrees in printmaking or by having established reputations and extensive experience in the medium. Central to the aims of the association is the introduction of Icelandic prints in the country and abroad. Since 1969, it has organised biannual exhibitions of members' work in Reykjavik, alternated with publishing suites of prints by members. Exhibitions of Icelandic prints have also been shown in Germany, France, the United States, and Japan, as well as in the Scandinavian countries. A member of the Nordic Graphic Union (including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland), the IPA has participated in their biennale since 1969. Today, a number of Icelandic printmakers have international reputations and have received awards at major international print biennales.
• When did Asgrimur Jonsson live and work?+

  Asger Jorn (born Asger Oluf Jørgensen) was born on 3 March 1914^[2] in Vejrum, Jutland, Denmark. He died on 1 May 1973, in Aarhus, Denmark. In 1936, Jorn studied at Léger's Académie Contemporaine in Paris. During the Second World War, he remained in Denmark, creating paintings influenced by artists such as James Ensor, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Joan Miró. He also contributed to the Helhesten magazine. In 1946, Jorn travelled to Swedish Lapland. Later that year, he met Constant in Paris. From 1947 to 1948, he spent six months in Djerba, Tunisia. His first solo exhibition in Paris occurred in 1948, at the Galerie Breteau. Around the same time, the COBRA movement (Copenhagen, Brussels, Amsterdam) was founded; Jorn was a member, along with such artists as Karel Appel and Corneille. After the mid-1950s, Jorn divided his time between Paris and Albisola. From 1961 to 1965, he studied early Scandinavian art. From 1966, Jorn concentrated on oil painting and travelled extensively.
• Where can I see Asgrimur Jonsson's work?+

  It is difficult to say with certainty where you can view the work of Asgrimur Jonsson. However, research concerning other Icelandic^[2] artists, such as Sigurdur Gudmundsson and Hreinn Fridfinnsson, provides some insight into possible locations. Both Gudmundsson and Fridfinnsson co-founded the artists' group SUM and Gallery SUM. Gudmundsson's work is represented in the Living Art Museum and the Municipal Collection, both in Reykjavik; the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; the Rijksmuseum Kraller-Muller, Otterlo, The Netherlands; the Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; and the Moderna Museet, Stockholm. Fridfinnsson has works represented in the National Museum, Reykjavik; the Living Art Museum, Reykjavik; the Municipal Collection, Reykjavik; The Workers' Union's Museum, Reykjavik; the Moderna Museet, Stockholm; the Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; the Netherlands Government Collection; and the Municipal Collection, Amsterdam. It is possible that Jonsson's work may be found in these same institutions.
• Where was Asgrimur Jonsson from?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson was Icelandic^[2]. The Icelandic Printmakers' Association was founded in 1954^[2] by artists who had gained experience with printmaking abroad. The association was revitalised in 1969 and, today, has forty-one members. They qualify by holding advanced degrees in printmaking or by having established reputations and extensive experience in the medium. Central to the aims of the association is the introduction of Icelandic prints in the country and abroad. Since 1969, it has organised biannual exhibitions of members' work in Reykjavik, alternated with publishing suites of prints by members. Exhibitions of Icelandic prints have also been shown in Germany, France, the United States, and Japan, as well as in the Scandinavian countries. A member of the Nordic Graphic Union (including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland), the IPA has participated in their biennale since 1969. Today, a number of Icelandic printmakers have international reputations and have received awards at major international print biennales.
• Who did Asgrimur Jonsson influence?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson's influence is complex. Iceland's geographical position has meant that Icelandic^[2] artists have sought contacts in the United States, Britain, and continental Europe, as well as Scandinavia. Young Icelandic artists have sometimes felt isolated, experiencing a divide between themselves, older artists, and the public. Some have sought opportunities abroad, for example in Copenhagen, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The Living Art Museum (Nylistasafn) was created by older artists from the SUM group, along with younger artists. It aimed to preserve and document the central segment of new Icelandic art that SUM represents. Dieter Rot, who lived in Iceland almost continuously from 1957^[2] to 1964, donated a large body of work to the museum. Works by Daniel Spoerri, Richard Hamilton, Joseph Beuys, and other artists who had been in Iceland and worked with SUM artists were also donated.
• Who influenced Asgrimur Jonsson?+

  Identifying Asgrimur Jonsson's influences requires some care. Iceland, though geographically isolated, maintains awareness of international artistic developments. Many Icelandic^[2] artists pursue education abroad, and those who settle elsewhere often return to Iceland to exhibit and maintain connections. This, in turn, exposes Icelandic culture to new ideas. Halldor Laxness wrote of Alfred Barr, Jr.'s visit to Reykjavik. Barr sought to understand how Icelandic artists reacted to influences, such as Jon Stefansson's studies with Matisse before the First World War. Laxness questioned whether training in Paris could transform a Scandinavian artist into a "Matisse no. 2". In the 1970s, Magnus Palsson significantly impacted the art scene and education at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts in Reykjavik. He invited visiting teachers, including Robert Filliou, Dieter Rot, Bakker, and Dick Higgins.
• Who was Asgrimur Jonsson?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson (dates unknown) was an Icelandic^[2] artist. Iceland's first commercial printing house was established in 1575; however, it was not until the twentieth century that Icelandic artists began to use printing as a fine art. In 1954^[2], the Icelandic Printmaker's Association was founded by artists who had gained experience with printmaking abroad. The association was revitalised in 1969 and, today, has forty-one members. They qualify by holding advanced degrees in printmaking or by having established reputations and extensive experience in the medium. Central to the aims of the association is the introduction of Icelandic prints in the country and abroad. Since 1969, it has organised biannual exhibitions of members' work in Reykjavik, alternated with publishing suites of prints by members. Exhibitions of Icelandic prints have also been shown in Germany, France, the United States, and Japan, as well as in the Scandinavian countries.
• Why are Asgrimur Jonsson's works important today?+

  Asgrimur Jonsson (born 1876^[2], died 1958^[2]) was part of a generation of Icelandic^[2] artists who sought to define national identity through their work. Iceland's geographic isolation meant that Icelandic artists often looked to the United States, Britain, and continental Europe, as well as Scandinavia, for artistic contacts and influence. Jonsson's work gains importance when viewed in the context of the Living Art Museum (Nylistasafn), started by artists from the SUM group. The SUM group was formed from dissatisfaction with the conservative Icelandic art scene. They sought to preserve and document new Icelandic art. Jon Stefansson, an Icelandic painter, studied with Matisse before the First World War. Alfred Barr, Jr., once visited Reykjavik to see Stefansson's work and assess how an Icelandic artist reacted to such influences. This highlights the ongoing interest in understanding how Icelandic artists engage with international movements while maintaining their unique perspective.