Woman of the mountains
Encyclopedia
The "Lady of the Mountain" (Fjallkonan) is the female incarnation (national personification
) of Iceland
. While she symbolised what Icelanders considered to be genuine and purely Icelandic, in her purity she reflected a deep-seated, but unattainable, wish of Icelanders to be a totally independent nation. Fjallkonan is thus not only a national symbol, she also represents the national vision, the nation's ultimate dream. She was first depicted in the poem Ofsjónir by Eggert Ólafsson
(1752) but her name was mentioned for the first time in the poem Eldgamla Ísafold by Bjarni Thorarensen
. From that moment onwards she became a well-known symbol in Icelandic poetry. The oldest image of "the woman of the mountains" was published in an English translation of Icelandic folk-tales, Icelandic Legends, Collected by Jón Arnason
(1864, 1866). It is the work of the German painter J. B. Zwecker, who drew it to specifications provided by Eiríkur Magnússon, one of the translators. Eiríkur described the picture in a letter to Jón Sigurðsson
(11 April 1866). Also very popular is the image designed by Benedikt Gröndal on a memorial card of the National holiday in 1874. A woman dressed as the Lady of the Mountain first appeared at the Iceland Days in Winnipeg
, Canada
in 1924. Since the establishment of the Icelandic republic in 1944 it has been traditional for a woman in traditional dress to read the poem on the national holiday (17 June).
National personification
A national personification is an anthropomorphization of a nation or its people; it can appear in both editorial cartoons and propaganda.Some early personifications in the Western world tended to be national manifestations of the majestic wisdom and war goddess Minerva/Athena, and often took the...
) of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. While she symbolised what Icelanders considered to be genuine and purely Icelandic, in her purity she reflected a deep-seated, but unattainable, wish of Icelanders to be a totally independent nation. Fjallkonan is thus not only a national symbol, she also represents the national vision, the nation's ultimate dream. She was first depicted in the poem Ofsjónir by Eggert Ólafsson
Eggert Ólafsson
Eggert Ólafsson was an Icelandic explorer, writer and conservator of the Icelandic language.He was the son of a farmer from Svefneyjar in Breiðafjörður. He studied natural sciences, Classics, Grammar, Law and Agriculture at the University of Copenhagen.Ólafsson wrote on a wide range of topics...
(1752) but her name was mentioned for the first time in the poem Eldgamla Ísafold by Bjarni Thorarensen
Bjarni Thorarensen
Bjarni Vigfússon Thorarensen was an Icelandic poet and official. He was deputy governor of northern and eastern Iceland. As a poet he was influenced by classicism and romanticism. Politically he was aligned with the Fjölnismenn and favored the reestablishment of the Althing at Þingvellir...
. From that moment onwards she became a well-known symbol in Icelandic poetry. The oldest image of "the woman of the mountains" was published in an English translation of Icelandic folk-tales, Icelandic Legends, Collected by Jón Arnason
Jón Árnason (author)
Jón Árnason was an Icelandic writer, librarian, and museum director who made the first collection of Icelandic folktales.-Career:Jón Árnason was educated at the Latin School in Bessastaðir....
(1864, 1866). It is the work of the German painter J. B. Zwecker, who drew it to specifications provided by Eiríkur Magnússon, one of the translators. Eiríkur described the picture in a letter to Jón Sigurðsson
Jón Sigurðsson
Jón Sigurðsson was the leader of the 19th century Icelandic independence movement.Born at Hrafnseyri, near Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords area of Iceland, he was the son of a pastor, Sigurður Jónsson. He moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1833 to study grammar and history at the university there...
(11 April 1866). Also very popular is the image designed by Benedikt Gröndal on a memorial card of the National holiday in 1874. A woman dressed as the Lady of the Mountain first appeared at the Iceland Days in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1924. Since the establishment of the Icelandic republic in 1944 it has been traditional for a woman in traditional dress to read the poem on the national holiday (17 June).