2010Icelandic Craftmanship II. - Carving - Set

The Door of Valþjófsstaðir dates back to the 13th century and is among Iceland best known relics. Many medieval churches in Iceland were embellished with carvings and artifacts testifying to their owners‘ wealth and Iceland‘s relationship with neigbouring countries. The Door of Valþjófsstaðir was transferred to Copenhagen in 1851 but the Danish government returned it in 1930 along with many other precious relics.The Judge‘s Drinking Horn is one of the key works from the 17th century, carved by Brynjólfur Jónsson. Brynjólfur was a farmer and the first Icelander to become renowned for his artistic work. The engravings on the horn depict events from the Old and New Testament. The engraver’s name is Brynjólfur Jónsson. The horn carries the inscription 1598 and the name of its first owner, Þorleifur Ásmundsson. Play in leaves (about 2000) is an artwork by Sigríður Jóna Kristjánsdóttir. Sigríður is one of the masters in this field in Iceland. She was only 12 years old when she started taking orders for fretwork and carvings. She is fascinated by animals, a fact which frequently shows in her works. Sigríður is probably the only person in Iceland who knows the ancient method of spoon-carving.