Gezicht op het dorp Mundal aan de Fjærlandfjord c. 1870 - 1900

Knud Knudsen made this photograph of Mundal village in Norway sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. This image offers a glimpse into the transformations taking place in Norwegian society during that period. The steamship is a sign of the industrial revolution, the development of infrastructure, and the increasing accessibility of remote regions. The photograph itself signifies the rise of tourism, as people began to travel to and document previously isolated regions. Knudsen was a key figure in visualizing Norway to itself and to the wider world. This was also a time of growing national consciousness in Norway, as it sought independence from Sweden. Artists, writers, and photographers played a crucial role in shaping a distinct Norwegian identity, often emphasizing the beauty of the landscape as a symbol of national pride. To understand this image more fully, we can look at how it was circulated, who its intended audience was, and how it was received. Studying photographs like this can help us understand the complex interplay between tourism, nationalism, and modernization.