Anders Sandvig
Encyclopedia
Anders Sandvig was a Norwegian
dentist most noted for having founded Maihaugen
, an innovative regional ethnological
and architectural
museum in Lillehammer
, documenting the vernacular architecture
of Gudbrandsdalen.
and was trained as a dentist at the University of Oslo
and in Berlin
. He contracted tuberculosis, and retired to Lillehammer and started a dentist practice there in the hopes of recovering, which he did. On a travel to Skjåk
in 1894, he came to the realization that Norwegian farmers had not yet begun to appreciate their cultural heritage. He acquired his first house, a dwelling house built in 1764 that had previously been described by Eilert Sundt
. It was known as Lykrestua and Sandvig set it up in his backyard. Over time, his collection grew to six houses and several other objects.
The city of Lillehammer set aside an area already known as Maihaugen
and bought Sandvig's collection and established Sandvigske Samlinger (the Sandvig Collections), the formal name for Maihaugen
in 1904. Sandvig was at first hired as unpaid curator, but was later appointed the museum's first director.
In addition to expanding significantly the museum, Sandvig also travelled extensively to promote ethnological museums, including Vesterheim in Decorah, Iowa
. He retired from the museum in 1949, at 87 years of age.
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...
dentist most noted for having founded Maihaugen
Maihaugen
Maihaugen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway. Maihaugen, with close to 200 buildings, is one of Northern Europe's largest open air museums and is one of the largest cultural facilities in Norway.-History:The founder, Anders Sandvig, collected from old houses and...
, an innovative regional ethnological
Ethnology
Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.-Scientific discipline:Compared to ethnography, the study of single groups through direct...
and architectural
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
museum in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, documenting the vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture in Norway
Vernacular architecture in Norway covers about 4,000 years of archeological, literary, and preserved structures. Within the history of Norwegian architecture, vernacular traditions form a distinct and pervasive influence that persists to this day....
of Gudbrandsdalen.
Biography
Sandvig was born in 1862 and grew up in RomsdalenRomsdalen
Romsdalen is a valley running through the municipalities of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal County and Lesja in Oppland county Norway.-Location:The river Rauma follows the Romsdalen valley from lake Lesjaskogsvatnet to the town of Åndalsnes, where it empties into the Romsdalsfjord. The Rauma Line and...
and was trained as a dentist at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
and in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He contracted tuberculosis, and retired to Lillehammer and started a dentist practice there in the hopes of recovering, which he did. On a travel to Skjåk
Skjåk
Skjåk is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bismo...
in 1894, he came to the realization that Norwegian farmers had not yet begun to appreciate their cultural heritage. He acquired his first house, a dwelling house built in 1764 that had previously been described by Eilert Sundt
Eilert Sundt
Eilert Sundt was a Norwegian sociologist, known for his work on mortality, marriage and other subjects among the working class....
. It was known as Lykrestua and Sandvig set it up in his backyard. Over time, his collection grew to six houses and several other objects.
The city of Lillehammer set aside an area already known as Maihaugen
Maihaugen
Maihaugen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway. Maihaugen, with close to 200 buildings, is one of Northern Europe's largest open air museums and is one of the largest cultural facilities in Norway.-History:The founder, Anders Sandvig, collected from old houses and...
and bought Sandvig's collection and established Sandvigske Samlinger (the Sandvig Collections), the formal name for Maihaugen
Maihaugen
Maihaugen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway. Maihaugen, with close to 200 buildings, is one of Northern Europe's largest open air museums and is one of the largest cultural facilities in Norway.-History:The founder, Anders Sandvig, collected from old houses and...
in 1904. Sandvig was at first hired as unpaid curator, but was later appointed the museum's first director.
In addition to expanding significantly the museum, Sandvig also travelled extensively to promote ethnological museums, including Vesterheim in Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
. He retired from the museum in 1949, at 87 years of age.