Rose-painting

The term derives from , applied decoration or embellishment, decorative, decorated [, , , ] and , to paint. The first element can also be interpreted as a reference to the rose flower, but the floral elements are often so stylized that no specific flower is identifiable, and are absent in some designs. In Sweden the style was traditionally called rosmålning, with cupboard decorations said to be utkrusat i rosmålning or krusmålning. In the 20th century the terms or and came into common use. Dalamålning refers to Dalarna, with which the style is particularly associated; the term appeared around 1901. Kurbits originally derived from the Latin Cucurbita, and refers to a long-bodied gourd. The poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt, who wrote about the painted wall hangings of Dalarna, popularized the term in the 1920s, particularly in his 1927 poem "Kurbitsmålning". ==History in Norway==

in Buskerud county, Norway In Norway, rose-painting, or rosemaling, originated in the 1700s in the lowland and rural areas of eastern Norway, particularly the in the Hallingdal and Telemark regions, but also the Valdres, Numedal, Setesdal, Gudbrandsdalen, and in other valleys in Vest-Agder, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, and Rogaland. Rural artists, influenced by Baroque and Rococo styles of the upper classes, encountered through craftsman's guilds, applied the new ideas to their traditional art styles. Rose-painting was originally used to decorate the walls and ceilings of churches and homes of wealthy families. As the 18th century progressed, more and more individuals became artists, allowing for more development of the fledgling art form. Some historians suggest that this was possible due to an increased desire for art, as the style of rural Norwegian homes had changed, with the introduction of chimneys, which vent smoke out of the house, meaning walls could now be painted without becoming smoke damaged. The three main regional styles are Telemark, Hallingdal and Rogaland, named after the regions in which each originated. Early painters traveled, spreading their style where they went, which accounts for some of the commonalities between regions. As rose-painting became more popular, artists began to initial their work, allowing historians to study how the craft was taught, and how prolific different artists were. By the 1850s, the popularity of rose-painting began to decline, as industrialization meant that factory-made products became affordable, and immigration meant that people were leaving Norway in large numbers. The rose-painted design on the trunk hid a stylized H7, which was used by Norwegians to show support for their exiled king, Haakon VII. The Nazis, upon discovering the hidden message in the cards, confiscated the entire series from the printer and shops, and ordered postmasters to confiscate any cards from the series they encountered in the mail. This is further supported by other institutions, such as the Norske Kunsthåndverkere, or Norwegian Association for Arts and Crafts, which was established in 1975 by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture. This institution helps support dues-paying members, granting them the opportunity to hone their art. Rosemaled objects range from bowls, vases, to chests, jewelry boxes, and larger pieces of furniture. ==History in Sweden==

In Sweden, it is a style of painting featuring light brush strokes and depictions of gourds, leaves, and flowers, used especially in the decoration of furniture and wall hangings, and was adopted by both artists and artisans in rural Sweden, reaching its greatest popularity in the latter half of the 18th century. While rose painting was popular among the entire nation, lots of times the houses of more wealthy individuals had more rose paintings as they were able to afford more decorations. In addition, the major popularity of rose painting in Sweden occurred before the industrialization period. After industrialization, it did not disappear due to the fact that the art created during this period was recognized as a major part of Sweden's folk culture and heritage. s The tradition of painted wall hangings in this style was fully developed around 1820. The paintings were done by itinerant painters, most from Dalarna, whose signatures can be found in many localities. The artists learned it as a trade or handicraft from one another, and copied each other's works; some pieces have been found copied more than 140 times. Artists also used stamps to create small details in patterns. Those from the Rättvik school of art were more likely to add spontaneous leaves and flowers, breaking up the symmetry of their pieces. Many of the paintings also included a zig-zag pattern at the bottom of the painting, called ullvibården after the village of . Scenes were based on Bible illustrations, with people and buildings rendered in the then current styles. The gourds reference a Biblical legend about Jonah sitting beneath a gourd; the gourd symbolizes vegetal fertility. The most common themes of kurbit art are the wedding at Cana, Jonah preaching, the entry of the Queen of Sheba, the three wise men, Jesus riding into Jerusalem, the story of Joseph, the ten virgins, the crowning of Salomon, and the vineyard. The style is widely found in the regions of Dalarna and southern Norrland, and today kurbits can refer to the painting of furniture, tapestry, Dala horses, or Swedish folk painting as a general concept. On the Dala horse, a gourd is used to indicate the saddle. Kurbits artists include Winter Carl Hansson of Yttermo and Back Olof Andersson, who painted in 1790–1810. The kurbits style was used in the candidate city logo of the Stockholm-Åre bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, forming the year "2026". ==History in America==

Norwegian immigrants brought the art of rosemaling to the United States. Immigration from Norway to America first began in the 1830s. It is not surprising this specific form of folk art was brought to America by Norwegian immigrants since it was not just used for decoration and aesthetic purposes in Norway, but also for self-definition. Rosemaling was a way for Norwegian-Americans to keep a hold of some of their heritage. In addition, lots of immigrants traveling from Norway to the Midwest regions of America would actually create rose paintings in churches on their travel to make some money. These rose paintings done by travelers helped expand the variation of styles among rose paintings. The art form experienced a revival in the 20th century as Norwegian-Americans became interested in the rosemaling-decorated possessions of their ancestors. Rosemaling artists whose work was recognized by newspapers and magazines allowed the art form to be further recognized and grow. As the revival continued on, it reached its peak in the 1960s to the 1980s. In the late 1960s, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa began to exhibit rosemaling. The museum then began bringing Norwegian rosemalers to the U.S. to hold classes. The style's popularity boomed in the U.S., even among non-Norwegians. Other classes can be found throughout the country, especially in areas where Norwegians settled. The Swedish settlement of Lindsborg, Kansas is known for Dala horses among other celebrations of its heritage. Currently, rose painting is still most common in the Upper Midwest. This is due to the fact that when Norwegians most heavily migrated between the 1840s and 1910s, they ended up living in the Upper Midwest. In addition, the Norwegian-American Museum is still offering workshops on rosemaling. Besides workshops, rosemaling can also be taught through books, classes, and heritage centers. To this day, there is now a decent amount of Norwegian-Americans from the Upper Midwest who have taken on rose painting, causing some of their styles to be considered "Americanized." Rather than being seen as a piece of Norwegian heritage, it is seen as a piece of Upper Midwest communities. == Styles ==

There are many different styles of rosemaling. Typically, each style is named after the region it is most commonly used in. To begin, the first style that has gained major popularity is the Telemark style. This style is extremely popular in Norway, and it is very impromptu. It normally involves a root center that has floral depictions or branches swirling out from it. Within the Telemark style, there are also two other styles. The transparent Telemark, which has light enough brush strokes to almost be seen through, and the American Telemark, which is a combination of both the regular Telemark style and the transparent Telemark style. Another popular style in Norway is Hallingdal. Hallingdal is different from Telemark in that the paint is often less translucent and more bold in color. In addition, it has much more symmetry and pattern to it. In addition to these, the Rogaland style also has some popularity. This style consists of more floral images than lines or scrolls. It often will have a darker background with a central flower surrounded by leaves and other decorations. While those three forms are popular, there still are other forms as well. For instance, another style is the Valdres style. The Valdres style is one that has some of the most realistic looking floral designs. ==Gallery==