Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir
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| Born | 26 December 1889 Iceland
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| Died | 1968 (aged 78–79) Iceland
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| Nationality | Icelandic |
| Known for | sculptor |
Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir (born December 26, 1889 – died 1968) was an important Icelandic sculptor. She was born in the northwest part of Iceland. Gunnfríður is known for her beautiful sculptures, many of which are portraits. Her most famous work tells an old Icelandic story.
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Early Life and Education
Gunnfríður grew up in Iceland. Her grandfather, Einar Andrésson, was a rhymester, a type of poet.
When Gunnfríður was 19, she went to a school for young women. Sadly, the school later burned down. Because of this, she had to move to Akureyri. There, she learned how to be a seamstress, which is someone who sews clothes.
Moving Abroad and Back
Gunnfríður was very good at sewing. She found success both in Iceland and in Denmark. She moved to Denmark in 1919.
By 1924, she came back to Iceland. That same year, she married another Icelandic sculptor named Ásmundur Sveinsson. They moved together to Sweden, where Ásmundur was studying with a famous sculptor, Carl Milles. In 1929, Gunnfríður and Ásmundur returned to Iceland. They made their home in the capital city, Reykjavík. They later divorced around 1940.
Her Artistic Sculptures
In 1931, soon after returning to Iceland, Gunnfríður created her very first sculpture. It was called A Dreaming Boy. This was the start of her career as an artist.
After A Dreaming Boy, she made many other sculptures. A lot of her works were portraits, which are sculptures of people's faces. The National Gallery of Iceland has many of her amazing pieces in its collection.
The Land in Sight Sculpture
Gunnfríður's most famous sculpture is called Land in Sight. It was carved from strong Norwegian granite. This special sculpture was placed at Strandarkirkja in 1950.
The sculpture tells a local legend. It's about a sailor who was lost at sea during a terrible storm. A bright, shining female figure appeared and guided him safely to shore. The sailor promised to build a church if he was saved. So, the first church in that spot was built around the year 1200. Since then, the bay has been known as "Angel Cove."
