Sweden isn’t really known for its art museums. And, after visiting some of the London museums, I can see that one of our favorite museums in Sweden is really quite small in comparison. But for a small fee, the kids can enjoy the aquarium, see some night jungle creatures such as bats and sloths, see creepy giant crab skeletons, watch how a baby develops in the womb, experience the history of southern Sweden from the iron age to the middle ages, walk in a nobility hall and enjoy the castle in its glory, feel the weight of real cannon balls and imagine how cold knights were as they prepared to defend themselves against the wicked Danes, tour a real submarine, look at various machines, and view art. It’s quite a bargain. We count on this museum as a place that everyone in the family enjoys.
I’ve been to this museum many times, but today I saw a couple of new things and two old favorites.
New
1. 2 gorgeous dresses from nobility–I wasn’t clear if they were reproductions, but they looked very, very fragile. The stitches were so amazingly tiny.
2. miniature portraits from the late 18th and early 19th centuries–beautiful, delicate
3. a nice exhibit that mingled portraits from the 1600’s to present day portraits–a fascinating exhibit and very tasteful
Old
A visit to the musuem is never complete without a long look at two of my favorite paintings. I’m not an art expert at all, so these paintings are ones that I love because of the subject matter and how they are painted.
Artist: Amanda Sidwall (a Swedish painter) born in 1844 and died in 1892
The painting: Hjärtetjuven (1884) means Heart thief
The subject: The painting is a close-up portrait of a little girl about 3 years old. I love her sweet baby softness and the expression in her face. I think Amanda Sidwall perfectly captured how a child looks through a mother’s eyes.
I’ve been trying to find a print of it, but have been unsuccesful. But here is a website which shows two of her paintings.
http://www.artnet.com/artist/642069/amanda-sidwall.html
Artist: Bengt Nordenberg (Swedish) 1822-1902
Painting: Morgonmålet (1853) Means the morning meal in Swedish
The subject: a peasant woman, presumably nursing her baby, feeding milk in a bowl to another child and helping a third. I love it because even though the subject and I come from different cultures, speak different languages, live in different periods, etc. –the experience of mothering small children and caring for babies is still the same. It captured a moment.
Here is a link to one of Bengt Nordenberg’s paintings
http://www.kurtsvenssonskonst.com/classic/bn.htm
The boys, as usual, enjoyed running around the technical musuem. There is something about whirring machines and engines that speaks to the minds and hearts of busy active boys.
I wish I could see those paintings! I understand the connection — I bought two paintings in Armenia of women doing traditional tasks — making the special bread there and weaving — because of the same connection I felt to the subject matter.