Ríkarður Jónsson
Encyclopedia
Ríkarður Jónsson an Iceland
ic sculptor, was born on September 20, 1888 and died in 1972.
, the Icelandic sculptor who had recently returned to Iceland from his studies in Europe. Following the completion of these studies Ásmundur Sveinsson
apprenticed with Ríkarður from 1915 to 1919 .
in Heimskringla
. The competition was won by Ríkarður and his composition was to remain the Icelandic coat of arms until being redesigned by Tryggvi Magnusson following Icelandic independence from Denmark
in 1944. Although the four figures in the design remained the same, they are proportioned differently in the new design. The main difference, however, between the 1918 and 1944 conception is one of content: the removal of the crown of the King of Denmark that sat on top of Ríkarður Jónsson's design.
's Hólavallagarður Cemetery.
One of his best known works is a bas-relief of Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the heroine of Gullfoss
.
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...
ic sculptor, was born on September 20, 1888 and died in 1972.
Early training
Ríkarður was born in the Icelandic east coast village of Djúpivogur. His mother was Ólöf Finnsdóttir and his father was Jón Þórarinsson. His early training was as a wood carver. From 1911 until 1914 he studied sculpture with Einar JónssonEinar Jónsson
Einar Jónsson was an Icelandic sculptor, born in Galtafell, a farm in southern Iceland.-Biography:...
, the Icelandic sculptor who had recently returned to Iceland from his studies in Europe. Following the completion of these studies Ásmundur Sveinsson
Ásmundur Sveinsson
Ásmundur Sveinsson was an Icelandic sculptor, was born at Kolsstadir in West Iceland on May 20, 1893 and died in Reykjavík on December 9, 1982.-Early years:...
apprenticed with Ríkarður from 1915 to 1919 .
The Seal of Iceland
In 1918 a competition that attracted many of the Icelandic artists of the day was held to create a new coat of arms for Iceland. The design was to be based on the writings of Snorri SturlusonSnorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
in Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
. The competition was won by Ríkarður and his composition was to remain the Icelandic coat of arms until being redesigned by Tryggvi Magnusson following Icelandic independence from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1944. Although the four figures in the design remained the same, they are proportioned differently in the new design. The main difference, however, between the 1918 and 1944 conception is one of content: the removal of the crown of the King of Denmark that sat on top of Ríkarður Jónsson's design.
Career
Many of the works produced by Ríkarður during his career were woodcarvings. However he was also one of Iceland's primary portraitists during that time, creating numerous busts and bas-reliefs of his fellow countrymen and women. Many of these works can be found in the graveyards of Iceland, particularly in ReykjavíkReykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
's Hólavallagarður Cemetery.
One of his best known works is a bas-relief of Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the heroine of Gullfoss
Gullfoss
Gullfoss is a waterfall located in the canyon of Hvítá river in southwest Iceland.Gullfoss is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The wide Hvítá rushes southward...
.
Ríkarður Jónsson Museum
Langa-Búð, the oldest house (built in 1790) in Djúpivogur, the village Ríkarður was born in, has been converted into a cultural center and it includes a section devoted to Ríkarður's life and work.Public monuments in Reykjavík
- Tryggvi Gunnarsson, (1835-1917), 1917
- Bishop Jon Vidalin, (1666-1720), 1920
- Memorial to Jean-Baptiste Charcot, (1867-1936), 1952
- Þorsteinn ErlingssonÞorsteinn ErlingssonÞorsteinn Erlingsson , was an Icelandic poet. He graduated from Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík in 1883 and went to Copenhagen to study law. He never finished law school but during his time in Copenhagen his poems became known in Iceland. He returned to his home country in 1895 and died of pneumonia in...
, (1858-1914)