Sveinung Bjørnson Svalastoga (1772–1809) was a Norwegian rose painter, poet and woodcarver.

Biography

Sveinung Bjørnson Svalastoga was born in the community of Vinje in

Rauland Rauland is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1860 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Vinje Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Raulandsgrend (also known ...

Telemark Telemark is a traditional region, a former county, and a current electoral district in southern Norway. In 2020, Telemark merged with the former county of Vestfold to form the county of Vestfold og Telemark. Telemark borders the traditional ...

County. He was the son of Bjørn Bjørnson Gardsjord (1731-1782) and Ingebjørg Rikardsdotter Svalastoga (1730-1776). He was born at Svalastoga, one of the area's oldest farm. Sveinung Svalastoga painted living room interiors, cupboards, chests and bowl with powerful and colorful designs, often randomly placed. Many of his works have been retained, both room decorations as well as smaller objects like chests and

cupboard A cupboard is a piece of furniture for enclosing dishware or grocery items that are stored in a home. The term gradually evolved from its original meaning: an open-shelved side table for displaying dishware, more specifically plates, cups and sa ...

s. He was also known for the mystical figures he cut and carved from twisted mountain pines, such as a mystical woman and her man, and a fairy tale princess set up at the corner of the storehouse. In addition, he often painted figures, especially biblical and mythological, with a naive touch. Svalastoga probably had two working winters in

Numedal Numedal () is a valley and a traditional district in Eastern Norway located within the county of Buskerud. It traditionally includes the municipalities Flesberg, Nore og Uvdal and Rollag. Administratively, it now also includes Kongsberg. Geog ...

, first 1801-1802 and then 1806–07. A major work is the living room interior at Nordigard Berdal in Vinje from 1802. In 1803, he also painted the altarpiece of the new church in Rauland (''Rauland kyrkje'').

References

1772 births 1809 deaths People from Vinje 18th-century Norwegian painters 18th-century male artists Norwegian male painters 19th-century Norwegian painters 19th-century Norwegian male artists {{Norway-painter-stub