Gezicht op het Grönsdal nabij Odda aan de Hardangerfjord 1861 - 1870

This is a photograph of the Grönsdal Valley near Odda on the Hardangerfjord, created by Knud Knudsen. Knudsen lived in a period of significant social and political change in Norway, marked by a growing sense of national identity and independence. As a commercial photographer, Knudsen captured the Norwegian landscape, architecture, and people with an eye toward promoting a romantic nationalism, essential to the forging of a modern Norwegian identity. The fjords and valleys were often seen as symbols of purity, freedom, and the sublime power of nature. In this photograph we see how the cool tones and vast depth create a certain idealization of nature. But we might also ask, what is left out of the frame? The rise of tourism, the movement of people, and, perhaps most importantly, the labor required to build the society. Knudsen’s photographs provided a visual language for constructing an image of Norway, shaping its cultural and national identity, and influencing how Norwegians saw themselves and their place in the world.