In the last week, I’ve been in three national galleries: in Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Each one is a hardened little palace of culture, showing off the nature of the land and the psyche of its people in a proud and central architectural jewel box.
It just seems obvious that a national gallery would give a probing view into a people. Of the many national galleries, Scandinavia’s do this extremely well. (Others that come to mind — like London’s and Washington DC’s — mix it up with more generally great art.) But in a little country (with no history of art-grubbing royalty), in a land where the visitor who hits it on a bad month might wonder why anyone would want to even live up here…much less paint, a national gallery works to show visitors that people who live here are not nuts. (Do you have a favorite national gallery for giving an insight into a particular culture?)
In each case — whether Norway, Sweden, or Finland — the paintings exaggerate the power and awesomeness of nature. In those tangled, plush, tumultuous symphonies of nature, the piccolo section is the country folk — people in traditional peasant costumes, tiny but in sharp focus…surviving with grace. Or, in the most famous painting in Scandinavia, just letting out a bloodcurdling Scream.
Like the Swedes have Carl Larsson, each country has its Norman Rockwells who painted almost photorealistic looks at 19th-century Scandinavian life. Rather than paintings celebrating kings and popes, it’s people’s art — a bridal voyage (perfect to show off the traditional jewelry and formal wear), low church devotion (perfect to show the strength of renegade Lutherans not following the state dictates — until they ran out of patience and moved to Wisconsin), and solid families at work and play.
And the “slice-of-life” scenes seem to just as often be slice-of-death scenes: a stoic family filling their rowboat, oaring in the coffin of a dead daughter, her sister clutching the funeral flowers through the bitter ride, and the harsh season clear on the weathered faces of the heartbroken parents.
And there are the struggles with a puritan 19th-century Protestant society, and the psychological problems that result. Basically (if you spent much time with Edvard Munch), messed-up men who didn’t know how to handle women.
As is the case with so many minor cultures in Europe, the 19th century was a time of resurgence and awakening — Finns holding back Russification, Norwegians distinguishing themselves from the Danes and Swedes. Legitimacy can be founded on epic myths. In each of the galleries, huge murals celebrate the Paul Bunyan beginnings of their nationalities. In The Mid-Winter Sacrifice, the noble Viking king prepares to sacrifice himself to the gods so spring will return and his people will be fed. In The Wild Hunt of Odin,the rowdy horde of Viking-like warriors gallops across the sky, snatching up unsuspecting maidens and the souls of sleepers forever.
I’d suggest that anyone traveling across Scandinavia use each country’s national gallery as a cultural springboard for venturing further from the capital.
What I found so fascinating at the FolksMuseum in Oslo, aside from Kon Tiki and trying to swing a Viking battle sword in full regalia, and aside from the bikini beach volleyball contest at 10 degrees C with the Beach Boys last album playing, was the willingness of the Norwegians to talk (and that is the one way version of TALK them to us, with a slight downward nod and perfect English –) about the benefits of Socialism. And the docent STARTED the chat! Not passing judgment — but want I loved about the Scandanavians was their passion about what the have done well – and their unabashed Eurocentric viewpoint. Were the shoe on the other foot, I am sure any visitors WE had from Scandanavia would find another version of the same experience in Texas or Arizona from my bretheren on the McCain side of the spectrum. Another note: You did a great job with the Rick Steves rollaboard luggage our bags have survived Lufthansa, Carpathian, (Budapest to Venezia) Czeck Airlines (Venice-Prague), and a car trip Venice to Rovinj, Rick Steves guide in hand! All the best and thanks for bringing the world together.
Technically the National Gallery in Washington, DC. is named the National Gallery of Art so that is why it is all art. We have all the Smithsonians for the rest of it. As for the best “national gallery” i’ve visited. Not sure if one sticks out, but I haven’t made it up to Scandinavia yet (it is on my oh-so long list of places to go) so perhaps they will be stands out when I do get there.
Does this mean you’re now in Tallinn? Can I come visit? :-) Wishing I could be back in travel mode. Thanks for your blog- great to follow someone who gets to travel while I’m sitting in my flat writing my dissertation… eagerly awaiting the day I turn it in so I can use my eurail pass!
The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa also does a good job of portraying “Canada and its culture”.
Great post. You’ve changed my mind. We’re visiting Norway in August and the National Gallery wasn’t high on our list of places to visit, but you make a compelling argument as a sort of “window on the Nordic soul,” so to speak.
In answer to your question about favorite national galleries, I would have to say that I learned a lot about Dutch history and culture from my visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It showcased treasured Dutch artworks and also featured a good dose of history in the description of each work. I especially learned a lot about the Dutch merchant culture, which began centuries back, and helped to lay the foundation for its modern egalitarian-focused government and lack of a power-grabbing monarchy. Great stuff!
Rick’s comments about his travels are very interesting but the feedback from his readers is often equally compelling. Comments about the Scandinavian social contract are an example. Many in Sweden, Norway and, to a lesser extent, Denmark are justifiably proud of their health care and higher education systems and they like their lifestyles which are subsidized by very high taxes. They openly brag about work not being the main focus of their lives as it is here in the U.S. It begs the question, is there merit to meritocracy and individualism? I know people who would like to live in those countries, but not many. Personally, I couldn’t take the long, dark, cold winters. And living in an apartment all my life wouldn’t appeal to me either. But I would also chafe under a system that might dampen an individual’s desire to excel – or which encourages 3 months of hard work in return for 9 months of relative ease (except for keeping warm, of course). Having met successful entrepreneurs from Denmark – who spend most of their time in the U.S. on business – this may all be simply a combination of genetics and nurture and opportunity and luck. But I haven’t met any Scandinavians who have lived in the U.S. for an extended period and who want to return to those countries except to visit family. We can do better in the U.S. by studying what other countries do well. But my guess is that capitalism (self-interest) will continue to be the most productive model and provide the wealth which permits us to lift up our less fortunate. And viva long, sunny days, mild temps and water warm enough to swim in. Contrast, of course, is what makes life worth living so a trip to Oslo or Stockholm when the crowds and profiteers are gone is worth it – but bring your woolies. bill kester
Rick, much as I have always followed and enjoyed your blog, those girls (Jackie and Zoe) are upstaging you! You go girls!
Rick this is off topic but do you know much about the danish economy ? business codes ,etc i met a gorgous danish woman on webcam im thinkin of throwin it all to the wind and immigrating from america(i live in tacoma wa by the way buddy) to denmark with my life savings and marrying her to become a citizen how much buying power would 20k have in denmark you reckon?-i know the x rate is 5 dane krones to the buck but how is the economy there
There are a lot of great points made on this post. However, some seem a bit off topic. I would encourage many of you to check out Rick’s entry on the trade-offs of Europe’s socialism on the Travel as a Political Act blog. I think it deals with some of the things Bill mentions above. Rather than share opinions on some of the things said here, I refer people to my comments there. With that said, I love that Rick is traveling again and sharing his sights and insights on Norway and the Scandinavian countries. Contrasting their culture to ours is a great read and an eye opener to the way of life in northern Europe.
I am visiting Finland for the summer and I have not run into Rick yet, unfortunately. I have one week to go before I have to return to the U.S. again and it will be a sad goodbye again. This is where my heart and soul is and I wish I could stay! I go to the National Gallery in Helsinki every year with my daughter and we very much enjoy it.
We were visiting Helsinki, Finland and we just got off the ferry from Sunomenlinna Island and ran into Rick trying to catch the next ferry to the island. The short ferry ride over to the island was well worth the visit to the UNESCO site. The view of Helsinki’s coastline from the ferry was just as beautiful.