Stavanger renaissance
Encyclopedia
Stavanger Renaissance is the name for the cultural period which peaked in the middle of the 17th century in the vicinity of Stavanger
, Norway
. It was characterized principally by church art, largely decorated altarpieces, pulpits, baptismal fonts and wall surfaces.
The Protestant Reformation
from 1537 had not yet changed the art in the local churches. Much of the old Catholic
art was still present in the churches. Church authorities wanted to change this, so they ordered new art and reconstruction of old churches. At the start of the 17th century, the time was right. The city of Stavanger became more and more popular for immigrants who worked as artists.
The first of the artists in the Stavanger Renaissance was the German painter Peter Reimers, whose art work first appeared in Kinsarvik
during 1607. Reimers settled in Stavanger 1612-1628. He left more than 40 large and small church work. Other important artists from this period were Gottfried Hendtzschel, Andrew Lawrenceson Smith
, Thomas Snekker and Lauritz Snekker. The Stavanger Renaissance is an important period for Norwegian church art. Art work from this period are found around the southwestern coast and throughout western Norway. Examples of churches representing by the art of the Stavanger Renaissance would include parish churches in Oddernes
(1620), Årdal
(ca.1620), Røldal
(1627-1629), Randfontein (1630) Moland
(1630) as well as Utstein Abbey (1625-1650).
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It was characterized principally by church art, largely decorated altarpieces, pulpits, baptismal fonts and wall surfaces.
The Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
from 1537 had not yet changed the art in the local churches. Much of the old Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
art was still present in the churches. Church authorities wanted to change this, so they ordered new art and reconstruction of old churches. At the start of the 17th century, the time was right. The city of Stavanger became more and more popular for immigrants who worked as artists.
The first of the artists in the Stavanger Renaissance was the German painter Peter Reimers, whose art work first appeared in Kinsarvik
Kinsarvik
Kinsarvik is a village, and former municipality, in the county of Hordaland, Norway.Kinsarvik was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . Ullensvang used to be an annex to Kinsarvik - but in 1869 Ullensvang became the main parish, and Kinsarvik became an annex to Ullensvang...
during 1607. Reimers settled in Stavanger 1612-1628. He left more than 40 large and small church work. Other important artists from this period were Gottfried Hendtzschel, Andrew Lawrenceson Smith
Andrew Lawrenceson Smith
Andrew Lawrenceson Smith also known as Anders Lauritzen Smith was a Scottish craftsman, woodcutter and painter. He was married to Maren Knudsdatter....
, Thomas Snekker and Lauritz Snekker. The Stavanger Renaissance is an important period for Norwegian church art. Art work from this period are found around the southwestern coast and throughout western Norway. Examples of churches representing by the art of the Stavanger Renaissance would include parish churches in Oddernes
Oddernes
Oddernes is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Kristiansand. The former municipality of Oddernes encircled the city of Kristiansand, and it encompassed villages such as Flekkerøy, Vågsbygd, Slettheia, Lund, Strai, Mosby, Justvik,...
(1620), Årdal
Årdal
Årdal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Årdalstangen is the administrative center of the municipality. Årdal was separated from Lærdal in 1860....
(ca.1620), Røldal
Røldal
Røldal is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.The parish of Suldal had to be divided into two formannskapsdistrikt January 1, 1838 – this because the main part of the parish belonged to the county of Rogaland, while the annex Røldal belonged to the county of Hordaland...
(1627-1629), Randfontein (1630) Moland
Moland
Moland is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Arendal in the Sørlandet region. Eydehavn was the centre of the municipality, which had a population of 6,011 in 1967 and 8,148 in 1992.-Name:...
(1630) as well as Utstein Abbey (1625-1650).
Other sources
- Froysaker, Tine (2003) Church Paintings of Gottfried Hendtzschel in Norway - Part I & II (Goteborg University) ISBN 91-7346-455-4
- Gundhus, Grethe (2005) I Guds og Bevaringens navn Fortellingen om tre altertavler og et øksemord (Kulturminner – en ressurs i tiden)
- Kloster, Robert (1936) Stavangerrenessansen i Rogalands kirker (Stavanger Museum)
- Cristie, Sigrid (1982) Materi og skulptur 1536-1814 (Norges kunsthistorie, Volume 3) ISBN 82-05-12267-9
- Grevenor, Henrik (1928) Norsk malerkunst :under renessanse og barokk 1550-1700