T does not often fall to the lot of an artist unanimously to be acknowledged preeminent in the field chosen, but this honor is conceded to Fru Frida Hansen, of Christiania, Norway. To obtain an idea by what means she has gained international fame as an epochcreator in the realms of art tapestries, a few retrospective lines are necessary. Fru Frida Hansen comes from an old merchant family of Stavanger, the ancestry of which is traced to the earliest habi tants of the singularly bleak and rocky coast region of Jædern. As a romping, romance-loving little maid of viking blood she listened eagerly to the sagas of the past, told her by old cronies among the crags of her wild native coast. With the advancing years her interest in things ancient increased, and, having finished the studies demanded of all young women of her class, she decided to endeavor to revive an art which, once flourishing in her native land, now had almost totally disappeared. The art of pictorial weaving was known in Norway even in pagan times, and the ancient chroniclers relate that at the introduction of Christianity, about the tenth century, it was the custom on solemn occasions to hang the vast festal halls with wonderful specimens of tapestries, generally illustrating some valiant deed of the Viking-chief host. One of the most curious and best-preserved specimens dates from the twelfth century, and is exhibited in the Museum of Industrial Art in Christiania, among a collection of others, none of later date than the seventeenth century. With this invaluable collection at hand, and possessing some minor specimens among the family heirlooms, she began an earnest study of the curious archaical treatment of motive and the remarkable combination of colors in which these old artisans excelled. Before attempting any really serious work and to perfect herself thoroughly in her technic, Fru Hansen visited the principal continental art centers, only to come back more than ever convinced that she was destined to become the recreator of this well-nigh forgotten art, once the pride of Norway. One of the principal obstacles in the way to her success was the question of colors. None of the modern dyestuffs gave satisfaction either in brilliancy or permanency to be compared with those of the ancient, which even after centuries retained an incomparable luster and distinctness of shading. After having tried in vain to get satisfactory results from colors and materials ordinarily used in tapestries, Fru Hansen decided to discover, if possible, some old formula for the dyeing of the wool. This was a far more serious undertaking than she had expected. Wherever she had been told that a family possessed the searched-for The maiden, searching for the fairy castle, asks the Northwind to carry her thither. Almost exhausted after his long flight, he sinks into the water within reach of the shore Admired by many, it yet lacks the peculiar vitality which is the artist's chief charm at last her efforts were crowned with success. In Sogn she found an aged woman who not only had some of these old priceless formulæ, but was familiar with the old-fashioned method of weaving, though too feeble to practice it. As the result of these researches she established, in 1889, the first Norwegian dyehouse where vegetable dyes were exclusively used. Almost simultaneously she received word that a friend of hers, an antiquarian, had discovered a most marvelous ancient not even dared dream. Neither its enormous size nor its peculiar form was in any way similar to those in ordinary use to-day. It must have been on such a loom that Queen Astrid and her maids had woven the tapestries with which the saga tells us she decked her halls when she received the carved, runic budstikke, saying that King Olaf would visit her. Years had been devoted by Fru Hansen to overcoming the many various obstacles to success, but she conquered all by Unquestionably one of Fru Hansen's most beautiful tapestries, poetic in conception and perfect in technic a tenacity of purpose and perseverance that gained for her the gratitude and honor of her native land and international fame. A true artist, she refrained from exhibiting any of her work till she herself was satisfied that her own severe criticism had found it worthy. Her first notable work was exhibited in Christiania and sold the first day it was shown. Curiously enough this tapestry, called "Mermaids Lighting the Moon," gives in a measure the keynote to all Fru Hansen's subsequent efforts. All her works show in their motives a depth of poetic feeling in which there is blended a strong yet melancholy mysticism with a spiritual fervor that one only finds among the people of the Far North. There are two peculiarities that are particularly striking in these modern Norwegian tapestries. First, the colors, which are extremely fresh and vivid, yet never offensive. Their clarity and the totally unexpected combination of shades are but a reflection of the marvelous vibratory luminosity of the northern atmosphere. The other striking feature is the very remarkable sense of appreciation for decorative effect with which they are designed. Most all Scandinavian artists are fond of detail almost to a fault, but here we have a perfection of detail and withal a sweeping, exhilarating broadness of execution and a Rubenesque richness of palette which both charms and astonishes. There is distinct individualism and character in Fru Hansen's creations, and while she has been and remains an ardent admirer of the ancient tapestries, she has not permitted herself to copy slavishly. She has invented what is now called the "transparent method" in weaving by which she obtains some singularly beautiful effects. It was during the international exposition in Paris, 1900, that Fru Hansen became famous, and it is but just to say that this fame has increased year after year. In my capacity as juror-expert of the industrial arts at this exposition, my relations with the jurors from all countries were quite intimate and it was very interesting to listen to their comments on the exhibit of the modern Norwegian tapestries. The French, German and Italian representatives were perhaps the most enthusiastic in their praise and all agreed that this was a distinct and most happy departure from the up to that time prevalent styles. The French connoisseurs, accustomed to the productions of the far-famed national manufactory of the Gobelins, which, through an excess of technical perfection in color schemes and elaboration of detail, have degenerated into a well-nigh hybrid sort of painting, hailed with delight the creations of this remarkable woman. The The principal pieces exhibited at that time by Fru Hansen were "The Five Wise and the Five Foolish Virgins, "The Dance of Salome," and "The Milky Way." The latter was by far the one which received the most attention, both from its commanding size and from the wonderful treatment of the theme. composition as a whole is very impressive in its gracious simplicity, and the color arrangement is so subtle in its richness that one really does not know what to say. In the depth of the azure heavens, some maidens in diaphanous drapery, their foreheads encircled with starry diadems, slowly tread their silent path, gracefully bearing aloft the filmy meshes of a broad veil strewn with myriads of stars. The charmingly sad naïveté of their poise and expression recall Heine's lines: Stars with golden feet are wand'ring In An interesting bit of detail is that in the seemingly confused mass of stars, the constellations are correctly traced. the border, woven in large Hebrew char "And they shall be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light to the earth. And it was so." As a specimen of decorative art it left nothing to be desired; it now belongs to the Staats Museum of Hamburg. It goes without saying that Fru Hansen during the past years has reaped a well-earned reward for her work, in always being adjudged the highest honors in her class of exhibits, and from the pecuniary benefit derived from the sale of her works. She is now represented in almost all of the leading museums in Europe. Among the very latest examples of her art are "In the Garden of Roses,' "The Fairy Palace," and "Semper Vadentes"; these were exhibited in the last Salon. In these three she again shows her masterful blending of color somewhat tempered by the introduction of neutral tints. Of the three, "In the Garden of Roses" was admired by a great many and even the artist holds it in high esteem, but I confess that to me it is not nearly so satisfying as are the two others or some of her earlier works. It lacks that peculiar vitality which is one of her chief charms, the composition is elegiac with a touch of pre-Raphaelism, and with its exquisite though rather cloying colors, suggests the beautiful verses of "The Nightingale and the Rose," by a late erratic genius. Totally different in character is "The Fairy Palace." Here we see the artist in one of her happiest moods. The motive for this tapestry is taken from Asbjörnsen's charming fairy-tale, "Eastward from the Sun and Westward from the Moon." The simple and poor little serving maid, in eager search for the fairy castle, goes to the wild and boisterous Northwind and beseeches him to show her the way thither. He first gruffly refuses but finally consents to take her on his back. High through the air he rushes with the tiny maid clinging in terror to his back. Over moor and fen, over crag and dale, goes the wild flight; onward and upward, out over the fjords, out toward the great, great sea, sweeps the Northwind, till finally, almost exhausted, he sinks into the waters within reach of the shore on which gleam the turrets of the wonderful fairy castle wherein lives the |