Torleif S. Knaphus
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Torleif Severin Knaphus (14 December 1881 – 14 June 1965) was a Norwegian-born artist and sculptor in
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, primarily known for sculptures for and about
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church).


Early life

Knaphus was born 14 December 1881 in Vats,
Rogaland Rogaland () is a Counties of Norway, county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Vestfold og Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. In 2020, it had a population of 47 ...
,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. His parents were Lars Larsen Slottenaa Knaphus (born: 1843, died: October 17, 1919) and Liva Sakariassen Alfseike Knaphus (born in Vats/Vass, Rogaland County, Norway, 14 March 1847; died December 18, 1914). At age 14 Knaphus took out an apprenticeship in a paint and decorating shop in
Haugesund Haugesund () is a municipality on the North Sea in Rogaland county, Norway. While the population is greater in the neighboring Karmøy municipality, the main commercial and economic centre of the Haugaland region in northern Rogaland and southern ...
. At 17 he went to sea for a year, then completed his apprenticeship in "decoration painting," earning his master's slip, which entitled him to be bonded and open his own shop. Knaphus was accepted for study under
Harriet Backer Harriet Backer (21 January 1845 – 25 March 1932) was a Norwegian painter who achieved recognition in her own time and was a pioneer among female artists both in the Nordic countries and in Europe generally. She is best known for her detailed ...
at her famous art school (in
Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
) and also attended the Royal Art School where he learned sculpturing from
Lars Utne Lars is a common male name in Scandinavian countries. Origin ''Lars'' means "from the city of Laurentum". Lars is derived from the Latin name Laurentius, which means "from Laurentum" or "crowned with laurel". A homonymous Etruscan name was bo ...
. While in Oslo, Knaphus converted to the LDS Church in 1902, and after completing his studies, migrated to
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
in 1906. After his immigration, Knaphus married Helena "Millie" Christensen in the
Salt Lake Temple The Salt Lake Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At , it is the largest Latter-day Saint temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple ...
in 1909. Together they moved to
Sanpete County Sanpete County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 27,822. Its county seat is Manti, and its largest city is Ephraim. The county was created in 1850. History The Sanpete Valley ma ...
, where Knaphus and his brother painted houses to support the family. When his brother was called to serve as a
LDS missionary Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)—widely known as Mormon missionaries—are volunteer representatives of the church who engage variously in proselytizing, church service, humanitarian aid, and communi ...
, Knaphus decided to get more art training in 1913, where he studied sculpting in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
at the
Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number a ...
for a year. After completing his studies in Paris, Kanphus spent six months in New York and then in Chicago studying at the
Art Students' League The Art Students League of New York is an art school at 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists. Although artists may stud ...
to obtain additional skills in sculpting
monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, his ...
s.


Handcart Monument

*
Daughters of the Utah Handcart Pioneers The International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers (ISDUP, DUP) is a women's organization dedicated to preserving the history of the original settlers of the geographic area covered by the State of Deseret and Utah Territory, including Mormon pio ...
commissioned in 1924 * started with a five-inch-high scale clay model * copied this to a three-foot-high bronze * Unveiled 25 September 1926 by
Heber J. Grant Heber Jeddy Grant (November 22, 1856 – May 14, 1945) was an American religious leader who served as the seventh president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Grant worked as a bookkeeper and a cashier, then wa ...
* Guests of honor at unveiling included
handcart pioneers The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to Salt Lake City, Utah, who used handcarts to transport their belongings. The Mormon handcart movement b ...
Alfred Burningham and Michael Jensen * Work was kept inside the old
Temple Square Temple Square is a complex, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. The usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities that are immediately ...
Bureau of Information building * " 1938 Church leaders commissioned Torleif to make a heroic size copy for the pioneer centennial. By 1942 he finished the huge clay model and had the monument cast in bronze in New York. In 1947 the larger-than-life statue was unveiled on Temple Square" *
Coralville, Iowa Coralville is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb of Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa City and part of the Iowa City metropolitan area, Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,318 at the 2 ...
copy by sculptor Stanley J. Watts.


Hill Cumorah Monument

When Knaphus learned that the LDS Church had acquired the Hill
Cumorah Cumorah (; also known as Mormon Hill,A. P. Kesler"Mormon Hill" ''Young Woman's Journal'', 9:73 (February 1898)."Thomas Cook History, 1930", in Dan Vogel ed. (2000). ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 3 (Salt Lake City: Signature Books ) pp. 243– ...
property, he decided that there need to be a memorial there. After working worked through seven designs, he presented them to leaders of the LDS Church as part of an unsolicited offer to create a monument there. Knaphus later claimed that the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
independently selected the same design that he had been informed through personal revelation was the correct one. A plaque at the site describes some of the symbolism of the monument, while Knaphus's own "Description of the Hill Cumorah Monument" details more meaning behind the design. The wording on the north sided of the monument titled "Exhortation of Moroni" is the text of , which Knaphus carefully shaped by hand, just as he had the other sculpted panels. His young daughter questioned the artist for just having words on this last panel, suggesting that he do another "pretty" panel instead. His reply was: "Dear, this is the prettiest panel of all, and I hope that one day you'll come to understand, like I have, the true meaning of these special words." The model for the body of the
Angel Moroni The Angel Moroni () is an angel whom Joseph Smith reported as having visited him on numerous occasions, beginning on September 21, 1823. According to Smith, the angel was the guardian of the golden plates, buried in the hill Cumorah near Smith's ...
was not used for the face; instead the model's father was selected out of a crowd, without Knaphus knowing of the relationship between the two men until they posed together for the first time. He made two visits to the site: first was in the summer of 1934 with
Sylvester Q. Cannon Sylvester Quayle Cannon (June 10, 1877 – May 29, 1943) was an American businessman, engineer, and religious leader who served as the sixth presiding bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1925 to 1938 a ...
, LDS Church presiding bishop, to decide the exact placement and orientation of the monument. The second was when the monument was erected dedicated on 21 July 1935 by
Heber J. Grant Heber Jeddy Grant (November 22, 1856 – May 14, 1945) was an American religious leader who served as the seventh president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Grant worked as a bookkeeper and a cashier, then wa ...
. In remarks during the ceremony
David O. McKay David Oman McKay (September 8, 1873 – January 18, 1970) was an American religious leader and educator who served as the ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1951 until his death in 1970. Ordain ...
stated "There is no monument in the world today with which greater things are associated."


Angel Moroni statues

*"His eleven-and-a-half-foot gilded aluminum Moroni graced the top of the old Washington, D. C., chapel, perhaps the only LDS chapel to ever have a statue on its top, until that chapel was sold..." This statue is currently on display in the
Church History Museum The Church History Museum, formerly the Museum of Church History and Art, is the premier museum operated by the Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and ...
as an example of the variety of Moroni statues in use by the LDS Church, and was replicated for temples in:
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,
Idaho Falls Idaho Falls (Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: Dembimbosaage) is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is the state's largest city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 Un ...
, and
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(until it was hit by lightning then replaced) *Statue for the
Los Angeles California Temple The Los Angeles California Temple (formerly the Los Angeles Temple), the tenth operating and the second-largest temple operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), is on Santa Monica Boulevard in the Westwood dist ...
of a different design; this started a short trend to depict Moroni holding the plates in statues for temples, which was followed by a couple of other artists, then stopped.


For temples

*
Laie Hawaii Temple Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) located on the northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill, half a mile from the Pacific Ocean, in the town of ...
— "During his first year back he was hired by the DSChurch to work on the Hawaiian Temple (constructed 1915–19). For half a year he did interior work and helped
Avard Fairbanks Avard Tennyson Fairbanks (March 2, 1897 – January 1, 1987) was a 20th-century American sculptor. Over his eighty-year career, he sculpted over 100 public monuments and hundreds of artworks. Fairbanks is known for his religious-themed commis ...
sculpture the twelve oxen supporting the basement baptismal font." Also touched-up mural paintings inside the temple. *
Cardston Alberta Temple The Cardston Alberta Temple (formerly the Alberta Temple) is the eighth constructed and sixth of the still-operating temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Cardston, Alberta, it is the church's oldest temple outsid ...
— "Soon another new temple, this one at Cardston, Alberta (constructed 1913–23), required his skills. There he carefully crafted the model for the baptismal oxen. In later years he judged this to be his all-time favorite font creation. Then, when temple exterior work began, he returned to Cardston and sculptured a large bas relief ... "Christ the Fountainhead." It depicts the Savior and the Samaritan woman at the well ... " *
Mesa Arizona Temple The Mesa Arizona Temple (formerly the Arizona Temple; nicknamed the ''Lamanite Temple'') is the seventh operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Located in the city of Mesa, Arizona, it is the first of s ...
— "For the Arizona Temple, dedicated in 1927, Torleif produced ... e twelve terra cotta (baked clay) oxen beneath the baptismal font ... ndthe eight detailed friezes ... forming an ornamental band around the tops of the north and south outside walls." *
Idaho Falls Idaho Temple The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple (formerly the Idaho Falls Temple) is the tenth constructed and eighth operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Idaho Falls, Idaho, it was the church's first temple b ...
— Oxen and font *
Los Angeles California Temple The Los Angeles California Temple (formerly the Los Angeles Temple), the tenth operating and the second-largest temple operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), is on Santa Monica Boulevard in the Westwood dist ...
— assisted with sculpture work for the temple and grounds, including Angel Moroni *
Oakland California Temple The Oakland California Temple (formerly the Oakland Temple) is a Temple (LDS Church), temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) located in Oakland hills, the hills of Oakland, California. It was built in the early 1960 ...
— helped with the baptismal font


Other works

*Sculpture: **Joseph Receiving the Plates from the Angel Moroni Monument **"Asleep" (commissioned by a mausoleum in Los Angeles **"School Children's Monument" (bronze) on Washington Square close to the west entrance of the
Salt Lake City and County Building The Salt Lake City and County Building, usually called the "City-County Building", is the seat of government for Salt Lake City, Utah. The historic landmark formerly housed offices for Salt Lake County government as well, hence the name. History ...
**numerous smaller statues: Utah Girl; Pioneer man and woman; Joan of Arc; Joy to the Hills; small "
Mormon Meteor The ''Mormon Meteor I'' and ''III'' were two land speed record cars built in the 1930s by Ab Jenkins. Duesenberg Special The ''Duesenberg Special'' was a one-off speed record car. It was built in 1935 on a supercharged Duesenberg Model J rolling ...
" speed car. *Bas reliefs: **Edgehill Ward meetinghouse in Sugarhouse has a replica of the "Christ the Fountainhead" bas relief on the exterior of the building and two smaller bas reliefs in the building's interior. The exterior relief is still visible on 15th East (right across from Christmas Street—about 1750 South) and has been painted. Other locations of this relief includes: Provo Temple; and Chapels in Tremonton; Belvedere; Rose Park; Yale; Las Vegas; Wittier; and others. **Whittier Ward meetinghouse in
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
has a bas relief by Knaphus in the chapel entitled "Joseph's First Prayer" depicting the
First Vision The First Vision (also called the grove experience by members of the Community of Christ) refers to a theophany which Latter Day Saints believe Joseph Smith experienced in the early 1820s, in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, called the ...
of
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he ...
. **Bingham Copper Mine relief at
Kennecott Copper Mine The Bingham Canyon Mine, more commonly known as Kennecott Copper Mine among locals, is an open-pit mining operation extracting a large porphyry copper deposit southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, in the Oquirrh Mountains. The mine is the largest m ...
Visitors Center **Mining relief at Bingham High School **Deseret Mortuary - "Visions" **small plaques: Handcart Pioneers and Covered Wagon (different sizes); Fur Traders; Restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods; and Joseph Smith Receiving the Plates. *Busts: **Bust of
Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...
, rotunda of the
Utah State Capitol The Utah State Capitol is the house of government for the U.S. state of Utah. The building houses the chambers and offices of the Utah State Legislature, the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, the State Auditor and ...
, 24 July 1956 by donation of
Sons of Utah Pioneers The National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers (SUP) is an organization dedicated to preserving the legacy and studying the history of the Mormon Pioneers of Utah and the West. The organization is open to "All good men of every age and circumstan ...
**Governor
Simon Bamberger Simon Bamberger (February 27, 1845October 6, 1926) was the fourth Governor of Utah (1917–1921) after it achieved statehood from territorial status in 1896. Bamberger retains the distinction of being the first non-Mormon, the first Democrat, ...
(at the
Lagoon Amusement Park Lagoon is a privately owned amusement park in Farmington, Utah, United States, located about 18 miles north of Salt Lake City. It has ten roller coasters, five of which are unique; '' Colossus the Fire Dragon'', the last Schwarzkopf Double Lo ...
) **Heber J. Grant (Hall of the Prophets,
LDS Conference Center The Conference Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the premier meeting hall for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Completed in 2000, the 21,000-seat Conference Center replaced the traditional use of the nearby Salt ...
) **21 other busts of civic and LDS Church leaders *Decorative molding and interior painting: ** Rotunda of Holy Trinity Cathedral,
Greek Orthodox Church The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...
** Capitol Theater (Salt Lake City) **Utah Theatre **Kingsbury Hall,
University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...
** the large rosette on the ceiling of the
Salt Lake Temple The Salt Lake Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At , it is the largest Latter-day Saint temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple ...
's celestial room ** decorative work in the
Salt Lake Tabernacle The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, in the U.S. state of Utah. The Tabernacle was built from 1863 to 1875 to house meetings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ...
and other LDS Church buildings


Personal life

*First wife, Millie, died suddenly in 1931 while there were "six children at home, the youngest just fifteen months old." *"He remained single for eight years, taking the youngest child to work with him and trying his best to be both father and mother to children." *"In 1940, when he was fifty-eight, he married twenty-three-year-old Rebecca Marie Jacobson. She courageously helped raise his children and in time bore him six more." * Died 14 June 1965 * Buried in the
Salt Lake City Cemetery The Salt Lake City Cemetery is a cemetery in northeastern Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, that is one of the largest city-operated cemeteries in the United States. Description The cemetery is located above 4th Avenue and east of N Street in ...


Genealogy

*At the time of his conversion to the LDS Church, Knaphus gathered names of his ancestors whose names he could take to the temple. Before emigrating, he returned to his home parish twice for a total of seven months to gather names. He returned for an additional two months after studying in Paris and before going to New York. *"At his funeral
LeGrand Richards LeGrand Richards (February 6, 1886 – January 11, 1983) was a prominent missionary and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served as the seventh presiding bishop of the LDS Church from 1938 to 1952, and ...
, of the Quorum of the Twelve, said that he knew of no single man in the Church who had done more
genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...
work than Torleif Knaphus." *A reporter from "Time" magazine was in his studio to interview Knaphus and asked what his greatest work was in life. The reply was that his large family pedigree chart and his family is his greatest work in life. *Throughout his life he gathered over 10,000 names of his Norwegian relatives—some back to the original kings of Norway.


Memorials

* monument on the original Knapphus farm site in Norway including a bas relief of the Handcart Pioneers. Today, Knaphus is spelled with two "p"'s. * Copy of Handcart Monument (original 1/2 life size) in Norwegian Emigrant Museum (''Norsk Utvandrermuseum''),
Hamar Hamar is a List of cities in Norway, town in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet Counties of Norway, county, Norway. Hamar is the administrative centre of Hamar Municipality. It is located in the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Hedmarken. ...
, Norway * Copy of his "Woman at the Well" relief in boy-hood Lutheran church in Vats


Notes


References

* *
As-printed format
with pictures & illustration. * * * * * * * * * * * Books * * * Online * * * * *


Further reading

* * *


External links


Personal journal
Knaphus Family Organization

Knaphus Family Organization

Knaphus Family Organization (KFO) News, Issue 10, Summer 2008

Knaphus Family Organization {{DEFAULTSORT:Knaphus, Torleif 1881 births 1965 deaths Académie Julian alumni Art Students League of New York alumni Sculptors from Utah Converts to Mormonism Latter Day Saint artists Norwegian emigrants to the United States Norwegian Latter Day Saints Norwegian sculptors Oslo National Academy of the Arts alumni Artists from Oslo People from Sanpete County, Utah 20th-century American sculptors American male sculptors Sculptors from New York (state) 20th-century American male artists