By Karin Mellbye Gjesdahl 

The following is part three of an article by Karin Melbye Gjesdahl, “Weaving in Valdres” [“Vevkunst I Valdres”] published in Valdres Bygdebok, Vol. 5, 1964, pp. 37-59. (A bygdebok is a compilation of local history.) Translated by Lisa Torvik, 2021. (Part one. Part two.)

In addition to the story of the three holy kings, no other motif has been as popular in our tapestry weaving as the depiction of the five wise and five foolish virgins, though it is otherwise little used in our [Norwegian] art.  It appears to be similarly popular in the Swedish painted “bonader” of the 1700s and 1800s. 

The motif is repeated from tapestry to tapestry, and is also transferred to pillow covers. Here are as many virgins as there was room for them. The figures are portrayed quite naturally on the oldest tapestries, the wise virgins with their lamps lighted all in a row above with the heavenly bridegroom, and in the row below the foolish ones, crying with handkerchiefs over their eyes beside the oil merchant behind his counter. This is how they are also portrayed on the tapestry at Valdres Folkemuseum (fig. 9), which belonged to Ola K. Alfstad’s collection in Skammestein [Øystre Slidre]. 

Here there is truly an attempt at individualizing the different figures.  Trees are placed between the virgins, and in the background we see suggestions of architectural motifs.  “EROSKIØBE” is woven into the merchant’s counter (fig. 10).* A strong geometric border in gold and red runs around the tapestry, likely the same as on the three holy kings tapestry in the Nordiska Museum [Stockholm].  The main impression of the tapestry here is also light, reddish and gold tones, but it is probably somewhat faded.

All the same figures are present on the pillow cover from Røn [Vestre Slidre] (fig. 11 and 12), now in the Norwegian Folk Museum (481-97) [Bygdøy, Oslo.]  There is a clear attempt here also at creating distinctive features, but they are nevertheless more rigid than on the tapestry.  Between the two rows of figures is the inscription:  “Five were wise five were foolish: Anno” and, probably, “16”.  There was unfortunately no room for the rest of the year.  Next to the last virgin are three letters woven in, which possibly can be read as “I T R” or “R T I”,  perhaps the weaver’s signature.  If this is the case, it is the only time I have found any signature on tapestry weavings from Valdres.  Neither do we find any more pillow covers where all 10 virgins are included as they are here.  The main colors are gold, red and blue with a little weft in green, natural [sheep] black and white.  Might we perhaps be allowed to believe we have here an independent Valdres creation?  On the other hand, it is difficult to say with certainty that this is also the case with the virgin-tapestry at Valdres Folk Museum.

It is in any case doubtful that the tapestry from Vang [in Valdres] with the same motif, now at the Norwegian Folk Museum (O. 1793-15) is woven in Valdres (fig. 13).  It is very similar to several of the Gudbrandsdal [tapestries].  Here we have, for that matter, a good illustration of how a motif becomes more rigid over time when it is repeated from tapestry to tapestry.  All individualization of the virgins has disappeared.  They stand in two identical rows one above the other, all with a face and a crown on their heads.

Most of the background is filled out with a zig-zag two dimensional pattern.  The border is the usual meandering rose vine.  Gray-gold tones and red colors are especially prominent, but there is also a great deal of blue.

As for the dating of this group, some of the Gudbrandsdal virgin-tapestries certainly have years woven in, but these are often so distorted that they are unreliable.  [Art historian Thor] Kielland dates the first of our [tapestries] to the last half of the 1600s and the pillow cover to the end of the 1600s.  The latter [tapestry] with its advanced stylization could probably have at the earliest been woven after 1700.

The virgin motif is also present in a number of other pillow covers, where the number of virgins is limited to two or three.  Kielland mentions that while Gudbrandsdal can present a very large number of tapestries with the virgin motif, it appears that pillow covers with this pattern are more common in its neighboring communities.  In Valdres we have nine pillow covers with this motif.  One group of them sets itself apart with years and initials woven in, which we will return to later, while five others display the motif even more simplified and schematically than on the last tapestry (fig. 14). 

The figures are reproduced entirely uniformly with large crowns on their heads, the space between them filled with eight-petaled roses, and their skirts depicted almost as decorative borders.  We see here that the design has adapted itself to the demands of the technique.  And I believe that part of the explanation of the popularity of this motif is that in its severely simplified form, with the repetition of the same figure, it is relatively easy to reproduce. If we consider the pattern while keeping in mind that the figures were woven on their side [lying horizontally in the weaving], we see that the prominent vertical and diagonal lines are actually easy to weave.  Whereas these pillow covers are only encircled by a narrow geometric or solid color border, we have one with the same meandering rose vine as its border like we find on a large number of the tapestries (fig. 15). 

There is only room for two virgins here.  It is from Vang, while three of the others are attributed to Vestre Slidre.  The one from Vang must have been created by an experienced weaver because it is so meticulously and finely woven.

While most of the works in tapestry we have discussed so far appear to either be directly imported from Gudbrandsdal or copied from examples from there, Valdres has also been under influences from Western Norway.  Indeed, Valdres has always been a valley with a great deal of traffic passing through it.  From ancient times, it was the shortest route from Eastern to Western Norway, and Valdres natives themselves traveled down to Western Norway to obtain salt, herring and other fish.

In regard to textiles, Western Norway is especially known for its geometrically patterned weaving, called “rutevev” and tapestries used as bed coverlets, called “åkle”, plural “åklær”.  However, there are also a smaller number of tapestry weavings preserved which clearly distinguish themselves from the Eastern material.  Characteristic of these weavings is a sort of diffuse style, where figures and ornamental motifs filter into each other and the decorative details dominate.  Figures play a lesser role.

Here too the virgin motif is repeated, but the number of virgins is greatly reduced.  On the tapestry in the Nordiska Museum [Stockholm], which was purchased in 1878 by Ragnhild Knutsdatter Røe of Øystre Slidre (fig. 16), there are just two virgins placed in the middle of a large tapestry, while the entire surface is otherwise divided up by diagonal rows of squares, filled with stylized leaves, flowers and a pattern of four stylized opposing hearts, as well as a few squares with a deer and a bird.

The two lengthwise edges are finished with a simple zig-zag border, a characteristic detail repeated in very many of the Western Norwegian works.  The colors are also kept to the same range as found on most of those from Western Norway, where gold, brown and red shades dominate against a natural [sheep] black background.  The tapestry is in horizontal format, which is common for these tapestries.  All things considered we probably see here an imported work from Western Norway.

Many of the same characteristic details in this tapestry, we find again on a pillow cover with three virgins (fig. 17) now at the Norwegian Folk Museum (766-96), and a cushion at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design [Kunstindustrimuseet, now incorporated into the new National Museum, Oslo] in Oslo (fig. 18) where the virgins have been turned into a bridal couple (7889). 

The weaver was perhaps no longer clear about the design’s connection to the wise and foolish virgins.  Otherwise we again find the same flowers, leaves, birds and zig-zag border as on the tapestry, but not the characteristic colors of Western Norway.   The pillow cover is essentially limited to gold-brown colors with some blue against a natural black background, and on the cushion the ornamentation is blue, red, gold, gray again the same ground color.  Perhaps these two pieces can have been created in Valdres from a model from Western Norway?

Together with these, a pillow cover at the County Museum in Skien [now called Telemark Museum] (2530) must be mentioned, where four deer are placed together with similar ornamentation as on the large tapestry, and where the zig-zag border is again used (fig. 19).  The colors are gold, red, gray-white and blue. 

The same design is likely the basis for a pillow cover from Vestre Slidre [ Valdres] (NF 1227-97), but the pattern here is entirely degenerated, and it appears disordered and broken up (fig. 20).

Perhaps here a group of pillow covers from Gudbrandsdal have had influence on the pattern design, with deer and rosettes in rectangular fields. One such, very similar to those from Gudbrandsdal, is now in the possession of district physician Kjos in Oslo, and has also come from Valdres.

While it must be said that it is fairly uncertain if any of these works were woven in Valdres, we do have another group of three very unique pillow covers which must, with very high probability, have been created in Valdres.  (fig. 21, 22 and 23.)  All depict two virgins surrounded by a broad border of stair-stepped triangles, and in a field above the figures, two [pillows] have the inscription: “HLS ANO 1698”, and on the third: “SHD ANO 1705”.  They are woven in relatively dark shades of color, mostly in blue and red against a natural black ground.  The inscription is in blue on a red background and the border in red, blue, gold and white. – The pillow covers clearly show connection with the group from Western Norway.  The same small deer and stylized flowers are repeated, while the relatively large figures and the wide border connect them to work from Eastern Norway.  An interesting detail about these pillow covers is that they are also dated.  And, here, we should almost believe that the years are correct.  There is such a great similarity between them that it is very likely they must have been woven by the same weaver, and that they are separated by a few years seems quite reliable. 

 But how do we explain that the two have the same initials and year?  Were they originally a pair?  Now and then estate settlements mention pairs of pillows.  But even without seeing them next to one another, I nevertheless dare say that the one shows a significantly darker shade of color than the other and they are not entirely identical in the smallest detail.  The initials “H.L.S.” must certainly stand for a man’s name, where “S” means son.  Unfortunately there is no information about where these two are from.  One is at Valdres Folkemuseum (1847), and the other at the Norwegian Folk Museum (E. 1599-06) and without any place of origin.  On the other hand, the third one from 1705 was purchased by Nordiska Museum [Stockholm] (21, 596) in 1878 from Aaste Olsdatter Tronhus in Bagn [South Aurdal, Valdres], and it is one of the few works determined to originate in the lower districts of Valdres.  In addition we may hope that genealogical research can one day succeed in identifying these initials.

While we have until now limited ourselves to works with figurative motifs, we also have a number of pillow and cushion covers with purely ornamental patterns, a somewhat motley and diverse collection, so that it would lead us too far afield to discuss each one.

Quite peculiar [to this group] is a pillow cover where a strange mythical animal covers the central section (fig. 24). 

A German researcher has demonstrated that this motif dates back to a Persian textile design from the 1300 or 1400s with its depiction of a dragon in battle with a phoenix bird, the coat of arms of the Chinese Ming emperors.  (Thor B. Kielland: Norwegian Tapestry 1550-1800 Vol. II, pg. 14.)  That illustrates an example of the migration of textile motifs.  A border of strongly stylized vines with grapes surrounds the center space.  The pillow cover is kept to a fairly controlled range of colors with mainly brown and gold tones and some blue.  The color palette and vine border connects it essentially to the more urban type of Renaissance tapestries.  But whether it was woven before or after 1700 is difficult to determine.  We know of  three pillow covers with the same motif.  Only one of these is of known origin.  It comes from Orkdal [South Trøndelag], while ours was purchased in 1879 by the Nordiska Museum [Stockholm] from Iver Sivertsen Hemsing of Vang [in Valdres].  It is therefore not easy to say if this motif originated in South Trøndelag or Valdres.

More common is the pattern that Kielland calls the crown-ringed Gothic shield.  There are 22 known examples of which the majority belong to South Trøndelag.  In Valdres we have three of this type.  Kielland has been able to identify the same motif on a pillow cover from the 1400s, probably a west German work.  (Thor B. Kielland: Norwegian Tapestry 1550-1800, Vol. II, pg. 38.)  Of the three in Valdres, the ones which belongs to Andr. O. Moe of Røn and John Leirhol of Vang have retained the original shield-shaped area with a tree in the middle and an animal on either side with the sides of the shield  surrounded by pointed crowns.  On the other hand the shield-shaped area has become entirely square on the one now at Valdres Folk Museum (700), (fig. 25) and the design on the whole is more rigid and degraded. But in its simple vine border this one has retained some of the spindly leaf stalks which we find on the German model.  In contrast, the pillow cover from Røn is surrounded by the usual bent rose vine. This pillow cover, it is noted, has always been on the farm, but that in itself is not evidence that it was woven in Valdres.  All three pillow covers are degraded [in design] to the degree that they can only have been woven after 1700.

Another much favored motif is the slim, stylized tree with fruit surrounded by four sections of vine and the spaces between filled out with four lilies opposite one another.  Over 80 works with this tree of life motif are registered here [in Norway], mostly pillow covers, but also whole tapestries and [bench] cushions.

We know of five such pillow and cushion covers from Valdres (fig. 26). 

The tree is a very old motif in art and certainly has had a symbolic meaning originally.  But it is hardly the design’s symbolism which has made it so favored in tapestry weaving.  I rather think that its simple, almost geometric form makes it relatively easy to recreate, and that this is one of the reasons for its great popularity.  It is also a design that if desired can be repeated indefinitely in length and width. The pattern can perhaps seem a bit stale, but the way the slender motif stands out on these Valdres pillow covers in light blue, red and gold against the natural [sheep] black background creates a very good decorative effect.  The cushion which is owned by Anna Ødegård of Skammestein [Øystre Slidre] must have originally been of a considerable length.  Altogether, the remaining fragments of the textile total over 2.5 meters.  The pillow cover from Hedalen which is owned by Martha Lohne is largely well preserved and finely woven.  It is notable that a simple zig-zag border is also found on this pillow cover, and is repeated on several of the Valdres works.

Because 40 of these works have been traced to Gudbrandsdal, it is likely that they originated there, but that does not prevent the design from being adopted from other places.  A few of these works are dated, some to the 1670-1680s and one to 1718, so this give us a certain point of reference to date the entire group.  But we must also count on the fact that such a motif has retained its popularity for a long time.  Of the five Valdres works, one is from Vang, two from Øystre Slidre and one from Hedalen.

Another pillow cover from Vang is in the popular skybragd pattern (NF 483-97).  In Gudbrandsdal, we find this pattern in a number of examples of both tapestries and pillow covers.  It is essentially the ancient, classic palmetto plant design which is the basis for the motif, but which first appears in our tapestry weaving after 1700.  It is often presented in bright colors, arranged in diagonal rows, on this example in two shades each of red and blue together with some gold and brown.  Since we know of just the one example from Valdres, while there are approximately 30 works originating in Gudbrandsdal, we should probably consider this one is an import.

Also probably imported is a cushion from Valdres, now in Bergen’s Museum (X. 103.10).  It depicts parrots surrounded by flowers and grape clusters (fig. 27).  A group of cushions from the end of the 1600s with similar motifs are localized to an urban influenced environment in Western Norway, but we find it at the same time in other regions of the country, and also in tapestry weaving from Skåne [Sweden], so it is not easy to say exactly where our [examples] come from.

We see portions of the same flowers on a pillow cover which the Nordiska Museum [Stockholm] (21.462) purchased in 1878 from Nils Nilsen Jørstad of Øystre Slidre.  Here tulips, carnations and roses in yellow, gold-red, blue and green colors are strewn over a natural black ground (fig. 28), like what we also see on embroideries from the end of the 1600s.  This is the only one of this type which is preserved from Valdres, while Gudbrandsdal can show a number of variations on this theme, some with scattered flowers and some with bouquets of flowers.

Part Four will appear in the February 2022 issue.

The first two parts of the “Art Weaving in Valdres” essay were published in August 2021. See: “Art Weaving in Valdres: Part One of Four“, and “Art Weaving in Valdres: Part Two of Four“. 

*Editor’s note: What does EROSKIØBE mean? The answer came from Annemor Sundbø. Broken down, the words mean love-purchase. The virgins, to prepare for their heavenly wedding to Christ, need to buy oil so their lamps can be lit. The oil merchant is in a symbolic way “selling love” to Christ’s brides. As the story unfolds, the wise virgins carefully save their oil, while the foolish virgins use up their oil and end up crying into their handkerchiefs.