The Decorative Folk Paintings Of Sweden

Summer 2021 Virtual Folk School Series - The Decorative Folk Paintings Of Sweden: Dalmåleri And Bonadsmåleri; Of the many folk arts that flourished in Sweden during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, painted wall hangings are probably the most original to Sweden. These charming and sometimes comical paintings depict stories told in painted scenes on the walls and ceilings of Swedish peasant homes. These scenes were often biblical, allegorical, or events from daily life. Painted largely on canvas or paper but sometimes directly on the walls, the style varied largely according to the artist and location. There were two main districts in Sweden that produced large numbers of these wall canvasses: the area around Dalarna in northern-central Sweden, and the southern Swedish vicinity of the Halland-Småland border.

Join Pieper Bloomquist for an overview of these two painting styles, what inspired the artists to create them, and how they are used to create the images of Sweden that we cherish today.