MIDVINTERBLOT, by Carl Olof Larson, 1915, 640 x 1360 cm
King
Domalde, in front of the temple in Uppsala, is about to sacrifice himself
in the belief that this will bring greater future harvests and general well-being
to his people. The story is attributed to Adam of Bremen, a chronicler who
lived in the 12th century.
Larsson considered his monumental works, for instance the frescos in schools, museums and other public buildings, to be his most important works.
This prodigious painting, which Carl Larsson intended for the east wall in the upper hall of the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, which he had spent 30 years decorating, was rejected by the museum's board of directors in 1916. In Larsson's memoirs Jag he declared his bitterness at this rebuff of the painting which he considered his best: "The fate of Midwinter Sacrifice broke me! This I admit with a dark anger. And still, it was probably the best thing that could happen, for now my intuition tells me — again — that for all its weakness, this painting will be honored with a far better place after my death." The painting was later offered to the Nationalmuseum for free and was again rejected. In the end it was sold to Japan.
After many years of discussion and debate, and with the publication of numerous books and articles within the Swedish artworld, the painting was brought back to the Nationalmuseum for the Carl Larsson exhibition in 1992. Then, with the help of very generous private donors, it was finally bought from Japan by the Nationalmuseum in 1997.
Larsson considered his monumental works, for instance the frescos in schools, museums and other public buildings, to be his most important works.
This prodigious painting, which Carl Larsson intended for the east wall in the upper hall of the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, which he had spent 30 years decorating, was rejected by the museum's board of directors in 1916. In Larsson's memoirs Jag he declared his bitterness at this rebuff of the painting which he considered his best: "The fate of Midwinter Sacrifice broke me! This I admit with a dark anger. And still, it was probably the best thing that could happen, for now my intuition tells me — again — that for all its weakness, this painting will be honored with a far better place after my death." The painting was later offered to the Nationalmuseum for free and was again rejected. In the end it was sold to Japan.
After many years of discussion and debate, and with the publication of numerous books and articles within the Swedish artworld, the painting was brought back to the Nationalmuseum for the Carl Larsson exhibition in 1992. Then, with the help of very generous private donors, it was finally bought from Japan by the Nationalmuseum in 1997.
