Daughters of Norway

ROSEMAL PAINTING

Expert Rosemaller, Margret M. Miller, gives painting demonstration at lodge meeting

Although Rosemaling is a Norwegian folk painting tradition, it is thought to have been brought to Norway by traveling European itinerant painters. Gradually, the Norwegians developed their own particular style and palette, and Rosemaling spread from one region to another. It began in Southern Norway and spread throughout the country, with each region developing a distinctive style. However all styles are distinguished by the Rose, in various shapes and sizes and specific strokes.By the seventeen hundreds Rosemaling was already being used to decorate Norwegian furnishings and homes.

Rosemaling has been passed down from generation to generation and was transferred to other countries by the Norwegian immigrants. Today, it is popular both in Norway and the United States. In the United States the Vesterheim Museum in Iowa has the best historical collection of Norwegian-American Rosemaling art. There are many other individuals and groups with Rosemaling collections who offer classes. Check out the many sites listed under the main navigation to the left.

DofN has many accomplished rosemalers, and many lodges offer classes from time to time. Some of the crafts our lodges sell at fund-raisers include rosemal items such as ornaments. Rosemal items are also sold as auction items. These are usually larger pieces including tiner, plates, bowls, birdhouses or kransekake holders.

SWEDISH ROSENAL PAINTING

Similar to the Norwegian Rosemaling style of painting is the Swedish Rosenaling folk painting style. Rosenaling is a decorative painting style that employs techniques that are different from the Norwegian style of Rosemaling. The style came from central Sweden in the regions of Dalarna, Halsingland and Harjedalen. Thus, there are regional variations in this painting style. The style includes the use of the kurbits painting technique that is also used in painting Dala horses. This style uses two colors of paint on one brush. A great way to learn more about this folk art is found in Swedish Folkart by Diane Edwards. Other Swedish folkart techniques are discussed in this book.

NORWEGIAN KNITTING AND SWEATERS

Sweater knit by Doris Lorents, Sigrid Undset Lodge #32

Norwegians have been knitting since the ninth century. Sheep were plentiful and the climate was cold, and wool clothing was a natural choice. Norwegian sweaters began as black and white combinations made from natural wool colors, and eventually became multicolored combinations. Patterns evolved from natural designs, such as the snowflake or reindeer. Originally, the sweater was tucked in, so the design was only found on the top. Then color and overall patterns were developed, and Norwegians began wearing their sweaters to church! Although it was said in the past that one sweater would last for a lifetime, in modern times the variety of colors, styles and patterns allow one to have a different sweater for every outfit if you like.

Many Daughters of Norway Lodges have members who are gifted in knitting sweaters, socks, mittens and gloves and also blankets and afghans in traditional designs or sometimes designing their own motifs. Occasionally our lodges will have programs in which members show off their Norwegian sweater collections.

NORWEGIAN HARDANGER EMBROIDERY

Hardanger Sample

This form of embroidery takes its name from the coastal town in southwest Norway where it developed a distinct style and is still used as decoration on the apron of the folk costume, or bunad, of that region. It is also used for decorating tablecloths, napkins, towels, bedspreads, pillows and curtains.

Hardangar embroidery combines drawn and counted thread work, along with satin stitch. It is done on an even-weave fabric, traditionally linen, with pearl cotton or linen thread, again traditionally natural color white on white or cream on cream.

The historical origin of this type of embroidery may have been in ancient Persia. It traveled through Byzantium to southern Europe where it was popular during the Renaissance. It may have reached Northern Europe and Norway through the Crusaders or the Vikings. Hardangar is related to Danish and Dutch Hedebo, English Ayrshire work and Ruskin lacework and was earlier known as Norwegian Drawn Work.

American thread companies visited Norway at the end of the 19th Century and recorded local designs to produce books of patterns. At the Paris Exposition of 1900, an apron with Hardangar embroidery by Brita Skalveit of Aga, in the Hardangar district, won an award and Hardangar embroidery became known worldwide.

This lovely lace is time-consuming to make and precision is important in its execution. A visit to a website with more information on this embroidery is well worth it (check left column).

Many Daughters of Norway lodges have members teaching this style of embroidery. Contact a local lodge to find out more about their upcoming program and lessen offerings.

NORWEGIAN FOLK DANCE AND MUSIC

Nordahl Grieg Leikarring & Spelemannslag perform at lodge Christmas party

Early Norwegians had music and dances of their own prior to contact with the outside world, but as Norwegians interacted on a regular basis with other Europeans, their music and dance changed. Norwegians incorporated European (primarily French) instruments, dance steps, and even dance attire into their traditions. However, the things that remained strictly Norwegian were the Norwegian musical melodies. These were practiced and passed on by generations of Norwegians living in remote locales.

Today's Norwegian folk dancing is thought to have started sometime in the mid seventeenth century. As Norwegians emigrated to other countries beginning in the eighteen hundreds, they took their Norwegian dances with them and continued to dance them in their new country. In countries outside of Norway the dances remained somewhat "frozen in time" and tend to focus on retaining the core movements of each dance. These dances are still done in Norway today with both subtle and rich variations, characteristic of a living tradition.

Norwegian dancers perform in the national Norwegian bunad, a folk costume. The unique bunader(bunads) and other traditional dress from the many different regions of Norway always assure an interesting visual spectacle. During the 1994 Olympic Games in Lilehammer, world audiences could see The Hedmark Danselag (founded in 1991) performing selections of Norwegian folk dances. Norwegian folk dance is performed in many countries today. In the United States there are many multi-aged folk dance groups (links available in the first column). Many of our members and their children are part of these groups.

Member playing violin (Convention 2006)

The traditional music played for dancing is provided by traditional instruments, most often the fele (ordinary flat fiddles), trekkspel(accordion), torader (Norwegian concertina), tussefløeyte (recorder), langeleik (Norwegian zither), hardingfele (Hardanger fiddle), munnharpe (mouth harp), guitar, piano, and various horns and flutes. Many of these instruments are thought to be European in origin, and industrious Norwegians improved upon certain of these instruments, the most well known being the Hardanger fiddle which is different from a violin or fiddle. It has four or five sympathetic strings that run underneath the fingerboard and add echoing overtones to the sound. This fiddle is beautiful with elaborately decorated mother of pearl inlays and black pen and ink drawings.

Daughters of Norway members participate in many dance groups and lodges do have programs where you can learn simple dance steps.