See ‘The Scandinavian Home: Landscape and Lore’ in Cincinnati

A purple haze surrounds the mountains in the distance, while the glassy surface of the lake
absorbs the pinks, oranges and yellows of an unseen sunset. In the foreground, a smattering of colored splotches coat the rocks, and in the background, a small church sits still and silent,
 enveloped in the grandeur of the natural world.

Swedish artist Hilding Werner created “Glafsfjörd. Evening” in the early 20th century. The striking oil painting reflects Werner’s passion for capturing the countryside of Hammartjärnet, where he established his artistic practice in 1907.

It is one of approximately 75 works on display in “The Scandinavian Home: Landscape and Lore,” which runs June 13 through Sept. 20 at the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati. Assembled by The Frick Pittsburgh, the exhibition features pieces from Susan and David Werner, who own what is considered one of the best collections of  Nordic artwork in the United States.

Hilding Werner’s “Glafsfjörd, Evening” at Cincinnati’s Taft Museum of Art (photo collection of David and Susan Werner, courtesy of the Frick Pittsburgh)

The exhibition unites fine art, decorative art and folk art from Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden through paintings, tapestries, ceramics, furniture and silver. Together, the pieces present a view of Nordic culture between the 1880s and 1900s, a period defined by national pride, craft and embracing the home as a cultural core.

“The exhibition invites visitors to explore how ideas of home shaped Nordic art,” says Ann Glasscock, associate curator at the Taft Museum of Art. “Specifically, home as a domestic space, home as the landscape around you and home as a national identity.”

Storytelling and folklore were prominent themes in Nordic culture during this time as well, appearing across a range of artwork, even household items like pottery and furniture. Visitors can see this at the beginning of the exhibition, which highlights rural craft traditions. Next, they encounter landscape paintings from multiple Nordic countries before exploring works that touch on different artistic movements, including Norwegian Revival and the Vitalism movement.

“The home really functioned as an extension of those that lived in them,” Glasscock says. “They were not meant to be show places, but rather places of sanctuary and comfort. … I think that’s reflected in this exhibition.”

316 Pike St., Cincinnati 45202, 513/241-0343, taftmuseum.org.

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