Solfari.com presents Einar Jonsson Museum

Solfari : Places : Skoal : Einar Jonsson

In the shadow of Hallgrimskirke , literally and figuratively, is the Einar Jonsson Museum ( More Information ). Einar is a modestly famous Icelandic sculpture who enjoys national prominence in his native country but is virtually unknown outside. However, I must say that his sculptures capture a moment in time that stimulates the imagination. In addition, the quality and intricate features of the sculptures may not come across in the small images that are below.


View of Einar Jonsson sculpture garden Reykjavik, Iceland	Email Photo

The Einar Jonsson museum is located across the street from the towering Hallgrimskirke and accompanying Leif Eiriksson statue. In the picture to the left, the building in the background on the right is the main museum but the sculpture garden lies behind and is open year round, I believe.

While walking around Reykjavik one morning, I happened upon the sculpture garden. It was a typically cool, but spectacularly sunny Saturday morning in the Reykjavik summer and the sounds of nature were only interrupted by an occasional passing auto. Looking through the tall, wrought-iron fence, I admired the reasonably sized statues within this tree lined garden.

I raced around to the front of the museum to try and enter the museum and the sculpture garden oasis. Unfortunately, the museum was still closed for a few more hours. I walked back to the fence and peered through to try and snap a few photos. Surprisingly, there was a gate within the fence that had escaped notice during my youthful exuberance to enter the museum.

Since my Icelandic is a little rusty (ok, non-existant is a better description), I read the sign by the gate and it seemed to be saying that the garden was closed as well. Looking over my shoulder in both directions, I gave a twist to the knob, a push on the gate and the gate swung open to my surprise!


Einar Jonsson - The King of Atlantis Reykjavik, Iceland	Email Photo


Einar Jonsson - Monument to Hallgrimur Petursson Reykjavik, Iceland	Email Photo

I scurried through the gate, initially trying to keep a low profile as if I had just taken a cookie before dinner. By this time there were a few people walking around outside the fence, but due to the heavy tree and shrub cover along the fence, I wasn't spotted.

The sun shone incredibly bright and true since Reykjavik has no air pollution to speak of. The light, reflecting magnificently off of the tree's green leaves and the statue's white granite base, was at the perfect angle to take photos.

Walking around the garden's paths in the peace and quiet was exhilarating. I felt as if I were living in a dream, where the real world was held at bay, while I slowly transformed the physical world I was viewing into a timeless virtual memory. The more sculptures that I saw, the more that I wanted to see what was inside the museum itself. However, I knew that the atmosphere inside could not compare with that of the sculpture garden so I finished my role of film and departed the garden as stealthily as I had entered a half hour before..


Einar Jonsson - Jol Reykjavik, Iceland	Email Photo


Einar Jonsson - The End Reykjavik, Iceland	Email Photo


Einar Jonsson - Grief Reykjavik, Iceland	Email Photo

The first and most personal sculpture that I saw, I saved for the end of this page. It is a man sitting below and beside the body of a deceased woman. This struck a cord with me due to the passing of my mother nearly 4 years to the day before. The anonymous griever, appropriate simplicity and human experience of this sculpture speaks volumes to me.

Solfari : Places : Skoal : Einar Jonsson

Craig Recommends