Sigurd Willoch
Encyclopedia
Sigurd Daniel Isaachsen Willoch (16 May 1903 - 20 March 1991) was a Norwegian art historian
and director of the National Gallery of Norway
.
He was born in Oslo, the grandson of painter Olaf Isaachsen
. He was a second cousin of both national aviation director Erik Isaachsen Willoch
and Norwegian Prime Minister 1981–1986 Kåre Isaachsen Willoch
.
Sigurd Willoch took the mag.art. degree in 1925. He worked as a research fellow
from 1928 to 1933, taking the doctorate in 1932. He was the art critic for the newspapers Aftenposten
from 1935 to 1942 and Morgenbladet
1945-46. He was the director of the National Gallery of Norway
from 1946 to 1973.
He wrote considerably about Norwegian art and artists dating from the 19th century, including works about artists Olaf Isaachsen, Edvard Munch
, Hugo Lous Mohr (1889–1970), August Cappelen (1827–1852) and Thomas Fearnley (1802–1842). He also produced works which focused on the Art Society in Oslo and the National Gallery of Norway.
He served on the National Gallery Board 1952-76, was a member and sometimes chairman of the Norwegian unit of Scandinavian Museum Association 1946-71, Norwegian member of the Comité International d'Histoire de l'Art (CIHA) from 1958 to 1973 and represented Norway for some years in the International Council of Museums
. He was made a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
in 1939 and was knighted by First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1973.
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
and director of the National Gallery of Norway
National Gallery of Norway
The National Gallery of Norway is a gallery in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.-History:...
.
He was born in Oslo, the grandson of painter Olaf Isaachsen
Olaf Isaachsen
Olaf Wilhelm Isaachsen was a Norwegian painter. Olaf Isaachsen is regarded as one of Norway’s more prominent artists and great colourist with motives from Setesdalen and the coast landscape of Southern Norway....
. He was a second cousin of both national aviation director Erik Isaachsen Willoch
Erik Willoch
Erik Willoch was a Norwegian jurist and civil servant.Born in Oslo as a brother of Kåre Willoch, he graduated as cand.jur. in 1948. He worked at the University of Oslo from 1950 to 1956, and then in the Office of the Attorney General of Norway from 1957. He was the director of the Norwegian Civil...
and Norwegian Prime Minister 1981–1986 Kåre Isaachsen Willoch
Kåre Willoch
Kåre Isaachsen Willoch is a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He served as Minister of Trade and Shipping in 1963 and 1965–1970, and as Prime Minister of Norway from 1981 to 1986...
.
Sigurd Willoch took the mag.art. degree in 1925. He worked as a research fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
from 1928 to 1933, taking the doctorate in 1932. He was the art critic for the newspapers Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
from 1935 to 1942 and Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet is a Norwegian weekly newspaper. It was founded in 1819 by the book printer Niels Wulfsberg, and was the country's first daily newspaper. For a long time, it was also the country's biggest newspaper. It was closed down by the German Wehrmacht during World War II...
1945-46. He was the director of the National Gallery of Norway
National Gallery of Norway
The National Gallery of Norway is a gallery in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.-History:...
from 1946 to 1973.
He wrote considerably about Norwegian art and artists dating from the 19th century, including works about artists Olaf Isaachsen, Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionist art. His best-known composition, The Scream, is part of a series The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of love, fear, death, melancholia, and anxiety.- Childhood :Edvard Munch...
, Hugo Lous Mohr (1889–1970), August Cappelen (1827–1852) and Thomas Fearnley (1802–1842). He also produced works which focused on the Art Society in Oslo and the National Gallery of Norway.
He served on the National Gallery Board 1952-76, was a member and sometimes chairman of the Norwegian unit of Scandinavian Museum Association 1946-71, Norwegian member of the Comité International d'Histoire de l'Art (CIHA) from 1958 to 1973 and represented Norway for some years in the International Council of Museums
International Council of Museums
The International Council of Museums is an international organization of museums and museum professionals that is committed to the conservation, continuation and communication to society of the world's natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.- Overview :Created...
. He was made a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
in 1939 and was knighted by First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1973.
Selected bibliography
This is a list of his most notable works:- Olaf IsaachsenOlaf IsaachsenOlaf Wilhelm Isaachsen was a Norwegian painter. Olaf Isaachsen is regarded as one of Norway’s more prominent artists and great colourist with motives from Setesdalen and the coast landscape of Southern Norway....
. En overgangsskikkelse i norsk malerkunst (1926) - August CappelenAugust CappelenHermann August Cappelen was a Norwegian painter. Cappelen was best known for his melancholic, dramatic and romantic landscape compositions.-Background:...
og den romantiske landskapskunst (1928) - Maleren Thomas FearnleyThomas FearnleyThomas Fearnley was a Norwegian painter.-Background:Thomas Fearnley was born in Fredrikshald , in Østfold county, Norway. Fearnley's father's family came originally from Yorkshire, in England. His grandfather was a merchant who came to Fredrikshald, Norway in 1753...
(1932) - Kunstforeningen i Oslo 1836-1936 (1936)
- Nasjonalgalleriet gjennem hundre år (1937)
- Edvard MunchEdvard MunchEdvard Munch was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionist art. His best-known composition, The Scream, is part of a series The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of love, fear, death, melancholia, and anxiety.- Childhood :Edvard Munch...
s raderinger (1950)