Rosemaling

Rosemaling is the most recent of the Norwegian peasant crafts.

The recent ethnic and arts and crafts revivals are reflected directly in what has happened among the Norwegians in Minnesota. For them the movement began with rosemaling, which in Minnesota has roots going back to about 1940. No rosemaling was done in Minnesota previously on which to base the movement. It was a direct extension of a slightly earlier rosemaling revival in Wisconsin, […]

Among the traditions the immigrants [from Norway to the US Upper Midwest] brought with them was rosemaling, decorative painting of stylized flowers and scrolls, with occasional figures. Originally painted onto the interior walls of peasant homes in Norway, rosemaling also adorned furniture, such as the Amerika trunks the immigrants used for storing valuables over their ocean voyages to the New World.

You've probably seen rosemåling before, even if the word is new to you. It's a style of Norwegian folk painting that features leaves, flowers, geometric patterns, and lush scrollwork. Since my family is very proud of its Norwegian heritage, and since both my mom and nana were really interested in folk painting when I was growing up, I've been surrounded by rosemåling for as long as I can remember.