Norwegian Epitaphs 1550–1700: Contexts and Interpretations by Arne Bugge Amundsen, Hallgeir Elstad, and Tarald Rasmussen (review)

Reviewed by: Norwegian Epitaphs 1550–1700: Contexts and Interpretations by Arne Bugge Amundsen, Hallgeir Elstad, and Tarald Rasmussen Gracia Grindal Norwegian Epitaphs 1550–1700: Contexts and Interpretations. By Arne Bugge Amundsen, Hallgeir Elstad, and Tarald Rasmussen. Art and Confession in the Early Modern Period, vol. 7. Regensburg: Schnell & Steiner, 2023. 544 pp. "And the place thereof shall know it no more." The phrase from Psalm 103:16 kept recurring in my mind as I read through this strange and beautiful book. Its pictures and epitaphs show how people tried to preserve their histories by commissioning artists to paint their families, write epitaphs in Latin, German, or Norwegian, and place them in the church. I have passed these small treasures in churches throughout Norway without giving them much attention except to notice the large families, most often, and sometimes the art. This book is a revelation. It begins with a general essay on the historical context for the epitaphs, clarifying much about the Reformation in Norway where the Reformation was different than in Denmark and Sweden. It came with force, a military and churchly coup. The Norwegian Archbishop, a powerful presence in church and state, was forced out by the Danish powers and became a martyr and hero representing Rome as well as Norway against the Danes. The Danes sent their elite to Norway to govern. The clergy were resented outsiders. They represented the long arm of the Danish king as they "helped maintain the general legislation and customs in the country" (19). As the clergy began to marry and have families, they took their place in the local culture, living in vicarages in the small parishes. They were well educated in languages, theology, and even the natural sciences. As representatives of the king in these small rural localities, their only local colleague was the sheriff. The two kept law and order. Most Norwegians lived from farming and fishing. New laws in the seventeenth century concerning trade meddled in their work and created resentment against Danish elites. What follows are essays on individual epitaphs, organized by counties. These small treasures—epitaphs—were commissioned by clergy families, civil servants, and rich farmers. Epitaphs, meaning "by/on the grave" were meant to keep alive the memory of the deceased. The deceased were usually pictured near the cross of Jesus, his grave, [End Page 102] and resurrection. After the Reformation, pictures of the saints were removed from churches. These epitaphs, the authors argue, to some extent took the place of the saints. Epitaphs taught people about death and testified to the resurrection. If one looks closely, one sees these hearty clergy, farmers, and burghers staring directly at us, urging us to get right with God. Memento mori, remember that you shall die. Eventually, more rules came from kings and bishops, making it difficult to be buried in the church and restricting the expenses of these memorials. Fires and other destruction, especially in the nineteenth century when many churches were torn down to make way for larger, less medieval spaces, destroyed many epitaphs. The book provides statistics on who commissioned the epitaphs, their function, and how the tradition changed as the eighteenth century waned. The catalogue of artists shows surprisingly many living in Norway. Each entry contains sumptuous pictures and brief paragraphs describing the epitaphs, the place, family, and the artist. These offer a glimpse into the times, showing, for example, the constant presence of the death of children, painted in small coffins, and very large families, often fifteen or more. One also can read the piety of the people by what scene from Jesus's life they portray or which scripture they use. The pictures are ravishingly set and lovingly explained. Now my journey through Lutheran churches in Norway will be informed by this book. What always strikes me as a teacher and tour leader is that people do not want to learn new things, they want to know more about what they know. A travel brochure must show that the tour will go to Tivoli, or Vigeland Park, to attract tourists. I am not sure you could fill a tour bus with people to study epitaphs in Norwegian churches, but some will find...