Norway – Gustav Vigeland

The monolith, Frogner Park, Oslo, Norway
The monolith, Frogner Park, Oslo, Norway

Gustav Vigeland was a Norwegian sculptor. He also designed the Nobel Peace Prize medal, but I believe he is mostly famous for his sculpture installation in Frogner Park in Oslo.
Vigeland sympathized with Nazi Germany and no wonder his sculptures present Nazi or fascist aesthetics.

In today’s picture you see “The monolith” that’s located at the highest point in Frogner Park, Oslo. It’s probably the most famous Vigeland’s sculpture. Is it nice or are his sculptures beautiful? I won’t answer this question, but leave it to you ;-). I’d rather say, they’re quite unique and it’s worthy to visit Frogner Park, if not for their beauty, to see so many of them in one place!

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Gustav Vigeland był norweskim rzeźbiarzem. Zaprojektował m.in. medal Pokojowej Nagrody Nobla. Jednak, wydaje mi się, że jest najbardziej znany ze swoich rzeźb znajdujących się w Parku Frogner, w Oslo. Vigeland był zwolennikiem nazizmu, więc nie dziwi fakt, że jego sztuka przedstawia typowe dla tego okresu sylwetki.

Na dzisiejszym zdjęciu widzicie “Monolit”, ogromną kolumnę zbudowaną z 121 postaci nagich ludzi. Monolit jest chyba najsłynniejszą rzeźbą Gustav Vigeland i znajduje się w najwyższym miejscu Parku Frogner. Ocenę piękna tych rzeźb pozostawiam każdemu. 😉 Jednak dodam, że warto odwiedzić park, chociażby po to aby zobaczyć tak dużą ilość rzeźb ulokowanych w jednym miejscu.

24 thoughts on “Norway – Gustav Vigeland”

  1. I was not of aware of this place in Norway. Will have to ask a friend who is from Sweden and went to Norway a lot if she’s seen it. Either way, it is very interesting and sounds like something to add to our list when we make it to Norway. Thanks for sharing.

  2. I find it threatening – the fact that you have told me he is a Nazi sympathiser makes me think of the concentration camps and piles of bodies. The snow makes it even more chilling. So good picture, but I don’t like the sculpture!

    1. Thank you for your comment! Honestly, I also don’t like these sculptures so much. I think, I had to mention it about Nazi, because my German friend immediately recognized it, while I had no idea…

  3. I wouldn’t call them beautiful, but they are definitely intriguing. I liked the ones I saw before you told us he was a Nazi. That has the same effect on me as it does on Anabel.

    1. I totally understand, but somehow I had to mention it about Nazi, because my German friend immediately recognized it, while I had no idea…

  4. Naturally we are inclined to prejudge this artist based on his association with the Nazi’ ideas, but for art’s sake we can look at his body of work and I think we can find it interesting. There are striking pieces in the Vigeland Museum.
    Imagine if Rodin had been a sympathizer his work would look horrid !

  5. An intriguing sculpture, which you have captured well in your photo. The sculpture is arresting, and beautiful in the skill of the sculptor rather than in its appearance – which I find rather odd. Interesting information about Gustav Vogel and himself, too. ?

    1. Thank you! I also don’t like these sculptures so much, but they’re quite characteristic and somehow important for Oslo.

    1. 🙂
      Szczerze mówiąc te rzeźby mi się zbytnio nie podobają, ale są wyjątkowe, więc warto tam spedzić chwilkę.

  6. Are there any proofs that Vigeland was a Nazi sympathizer?
    Based on his art, I doubt it. Although the people in his sculptures may look “Aryan”, they are so different among themselves, and reflect so much diversity that it is incompatible with the Nazi one-sided and primitive aesthetics.

    1. I also didn’t have this impression, but that’s the information I found, moreover some of my friends from Germany realized it immediately.

  7. Aesthetics aside, accusation of somebody being a Nazi’s sympathizer
    should be substantiated beyond impressions of your Getman friends if you go public with it. In my opinion that is.

    1. it’s not based on someone’s opinion; as I said I found this information, and you can easily find it as well.

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