1010
the country and completed an archive of about 3,000
images, very much the same way Knudsen did. His
perhaps most important and innovative images are those
of glaciers and winter landscapes from Svalbard. Two
series of pictures were published in 1892 and 1897, apart
from an extensive use of the archive for illustrations and
sale of mass-produced images for tourist-albums. Many
more produced landscapes and cityscapes towards the
end of the century: Per Adolf Thorén (1830–1909), Ole
Tobias Olsen (1830–1924) and the brothers Thorvald
Aron (1871–1896) and August Brunskow (1862–1906)
worked as a team.
It is an interesting fact that quite a lot of women
worked as photographers in Norway from the end of
the 1880s and onward. There are several explanations
for this. First, the improved technique at this time
was easier and fast to learn, it was not very expensive
to establish a photographic business, and a law was
passed in 1866 that allowed women to have a trade.
The large surplus of unmarried women made it neces-
sary to fi nd acceptable occupations. Not all could be
teachers or servants, look after their old parents or be
looked after by relatives. There was also the belief that
women were more suited because of a special artistic
understanding. They produced mostly portraiture, but
also landscape postcards. It seems, though, that they
did not usually travel as extensively as their male coun-
terparts mentioned above, and if their landscapes are
different, it is because children often are found playing
in the streets or on the beaches. The images have no
romantic meaning as defi ned earlier in the century.
They are merely a realistic documentation of small vil-
lages and peaceful scenery in places that were popular
to visit in the summer. Marie Høeg (1865–1949) and
Bolette Berg (1871–1944) in Horten; Louise Abel
(1841–1907) in Christiania; Augusta Charlotte Solberg
(1856–1922) in Lillehammer; Louise Wold (1869–) in
Holmestrand; Hulda Marie Bentzen (1858–1930) and
Agnes Nyblin (1869–1945) both in Bergen, are only
a few worthy of notice. Nyblin developed the fi rm,
when her husband died in 1893, into one of the most
infl uential in Bergen. From 1897 she also worked as
a police photographer.
Towards the end of the century the photographic
community started organizing to protect their trade. In
1877 the fi rst copyright-law was passed, and in 1882
the fi rst attempt to organize Norwegian photographers
was made: Det fotografi ske Selskab i Christiania (The
Photographic Society in Christiania). The inspiration
came from Denmark and it was started for the purpose
of promoting interest and knowledge about photog-
raphy through meetings, discussions and research.
Both professional and amateur photographers were
welcome. There was also a plan to buy photographs
from well-known foreign photographers and arrange
exhibitions that could inspire local photographers. One
of the leading portrait-photographers, Ludwig Szacinski
(1844–94) was chosen chairman, but the association did
not last for long.
In 1894 there was a new attempt made and the ini-
tiator, portrait photographer Christian Gihbson (1857–
1902) was chosen chairman this time. It is clear that at
this time Amateurs were seen as a threat. Everyone who
“... used photography as a main source of income” could
join (Erlandsen 2000, 189). The most important issue
at the end of the century was weather photography was
art or handicraft. This was important in terms of group
identifi cation and education. In 1899 a committee was
appointed to elucidate the problem and two years later
they concluded that photography should be part of the
Union for industry and handicraft.
Hanne Holm-Johnsen
See also: France; and Daguerreotype.
Further Reading
Bonge, Susanne, Eldre fotografer i Norge [Old photographers
in Norway], Bergen 1980.
Digranes, Å., Greve, S., Reiakvam, O., Det norske bildet. Knud
Knudsens fotografi er 1864–1900 [The Norwegian Image.
Knud Knudsen’s photographs], Oslo 1988.
Erlandsen, Roger, Pas nu paa! Nu tar jeg fra Hullet! Om foto-
grafi ens første hundre år i Norge 1839–1940 [Watch out!
Now I am taking the picture! About the fi rst hundred years
of photography in Norway 1839–1940], Våle, Forlaget Inter-
View A/S, 2000.
Halaas, Kristin, I fotografens regi. Norsk portrettfotografi
1860–1910 [Directed by the Photographer. Norwegian Por-
trait photography 1860–1910], Oslo, Norsk Fotohistroisk
Forenings skriftserie 9, 2004/5.
Meyer, Robert, Den glemte tradisjon. Robert Meyers Fotohis-
toriske Samlinger [The forgotten tradition. Robert Meyer’s
Photo historical Collection], Oslo kunstforenings Skrifter
1, 1989.
NOTES AND QUERIES
Notes and Queries commenced as a weekly publication
in November 1849, selling at 4d and 5d stamped. It was
edited by William John Thoms, a Fellow of the Society
of Antiquaries and former contributor to the Athenaeum.
The purpose of the journal was to provide a cheap and
frequent means for the interchange of information in the
form of notes between “the artist, the man of science,
the historian, the herald, and the genealogist.” Aimed
at a learned general audience, the principal concern
of Notes and Queries was the solution of questions
concerning genealogy, literary quotations, proverbs,
folklore and archaeology. The scope of the periodical
was also perfectly suited to appeal to the educated and
eclectic gentlemen amateurs who dominated early Brit-
ish photography.
NORWAY
