I try to continue to share with you my impressions and thoughts about how our life works every day and materially. How differently nations equip their homes, what tastes prevail in different countries, what habits and traditions. I do this mainly on the example of Scandinavia, more often Sweden, where I live and do not cease to marvel, reflect and analyze in what we are similar and different at the same time.

Today I want to start a series of stories about the impressions of the visit to the Museum of the North (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland). The Museum is located in Stockholm. Its expositions tell us about everyday life: about housing, food, holidays and important traditions of the peoples of these countries.

We visited the Museum at Christmas, so here's an introductory photo:

Next to the tree, you can see Tomte`s costumes hanging (a pre-Christian character of the Scandinavian epic. In general, a kind of a dwarf. But at Christmas he is dressed as Santa Claus to come to the children, he asks how they behaved, studied and gives gifts). In these costumes, anyone can take a picture at the Christmas tree.

The Christmas tree in the Museum is entirely decorated with handmade toys in the old style: paper stars, angels, garlands of foil and so on.

Here is the "owner" of the Museum — Gustav Vasa, king of Sweden in 1523-1560. The sculpture reminds that the collection of the Museum begins with objects that date back to the 1500s. Gustav Vasa is considered to be the first king who formed Sweden as a united independent state.

The exposition of the Museum is really huge. You can watch, read and take pictures endlessly. Today I want to start with the interior. This is only a light superficial review of the exhibits, but I hope, you will get interested to learn a little about the distant and for many unknown Scandinavia.

In the second half of the 19th century there was a shortage of housing in Sweden. It seems that nothing has changed — they have the same problem now :) Therefore, that's how an average family lived:

Surprisingly, all these items that make up the interior of the room, I meet everywhere today: in offices, shops, schools and so on, there are corners, furnished in the old style. Not to mention apartments and houses. There are interiors that are striking in their immutability, despite the age of 100-150 years! Auctions are also full of antique furniture and household items.

Zoning, compactness and, despite the tightness, accuracy and aesthetics. It is clear where IKEA got its inspiration :)

Here is an example of a jardiniere or, as it is called in Sweden, "pedestal". You can see this really often as well, though the model is at least 100 years old. The curtains are a luxury thing, aren't they? By the way, in Swedish it sounds almost the same — gardiner. Here is the form - pelmet and two narrow panels - is one of the most popular choices of curtains today. It is very rare to find rich draperies. That is how it is, so that much light enters the room. In Northern countries light is extremely cherished. Nowadays, many apartments have no curtains at all. Roll-curtains or blinds and that`s all.

Such an embroidery, unfortunately, cannot find be observed now... Only in the Museum...

Green curtain of thick cotton, Art Nouveau style, the 1900s. Curtain of wine color, 1849-1912. During this peiod, writer August Strindberg had it in his apartment. In general, Art Nouveau style in fabrics came to Sweden from England. Instead of boring dark shades in of fabrics, a fresh style of Art Nouveau came, it was inspired by drawings created by nature in plants. Floral ornaments were often formed into circles and squares, creating a rhythmic pattern with parallel and intersecting lines:

A bureau-chest of drawers, Sweden, the end of the 1700s. Stone plaque and hand painting.

Inlaid table.

My favorite style is Art Nouveau, or Jugend. In Sweden, as elsewhere in Europe, it flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries and left, fortunately, its mark in history, I hope, forever.

Chair in the Art Nouveau style with a pattern, inspired by birch leaves, created in 1902 for a nursery:

The atmosphere of the late 18th and early 20th centuries. Clearly traced motifs of Art Deco and Jugend.

Corner bookcase — a very popular detail of the interior of the late 19th-mid-20th centuries.

Miniature tiled stove, Stockholm, the 1950s. This candlestick is so warm and invites you to have cozy pastime:

Another symbol of the Swedish culture of life is floor clocks. Even today they are produced in a modern minimalist design. But these are just a hymn to grace! Made in around 1770, plywood with painting. Children, blowing horns on the painting, are a symbol of impermanence of the current times:

Other clocks, porcelain, table, printed pattern. Around the 1920s, Art Deco:

Brass and glass alarm clock, Switzerland, around the 1930s:

The subject of collecting for today can be found at auctions. This is a pocket watch stand. It is made in the shape of a chair, of yellow metal with porcelain decoration. The chair seat goes up, and the clock goes in. The end of the 1800s. In my opinion, just a delight — what complex and elegant objects surrounded people! I wonder if there's a connection between what surrounds people and how they develop? Actually, I'm sure there is.

Continuation of the story about the clock and much more are coming soon in the next articles!

Thank you for your attention and all the best to you!

P.S. Here are another stories of mine on the same or similar topics:

ivemaster.ru

https://www.livemaster.ru/topic/3136089-story-about-swedish-vintage-and-antique-culture?vr=1&inside=1