In a building beside Reykjavík’s Tjörnin pond stands the National Gallery of Iceland, known in Icelandic as Listasafn Íslands. The gallery forms the centre of Iceland’s efforts to collect, study and exhibit art that reflects the country’s culture and changing identity.
A story spanning centuries and continents
The National Gallery began far from Icelandic shores. Founded in 1884 by Björn Bjarnarson, its original base was in Copenhagen. The collection’s first works came as donations, mostly from Danish artists, before Icelanders’ art gradually formed its core.
The path to a permanent home in Reykjavík took many turns over the 20th century. In its early days, the gallery’s collection appeared in Alþingishús, Iceland’s parliament building, with pieces distributed to various state institutions. From 1916 the gallery was managed as part of the National Museum of Iceland. Later, the parliamentary Council of Culture supervised the gallery directly.
After several decades of sharing space, the collection moved in 1950 to Suðurgata, where the National Museum’s new building provided proper exhibition rooms. The state appointed Selma Jónsdóttir as the first director, starting a period of modernisation and undertakings to gather and protect Icelandic artworks. In 1961, new laws granted the National Gallery independence for the first time since it left Denmark.
A new home and evolving collections
The gallery’s current building occupies Fríkirkjuvegur 7, a structure originally constructed in 1916 for use as an ice house, following the designs of Icelandic architect Guðjón Samúelsson. Over time, it served various roles, from offices to a social hall, before its renovation for gallery use. Modern additions by Garðar Halldórsson connect the industrial past to the present focus on art.
Today, Listasafn Íslands cares for around 16,000 works of art, displayed at three locations. The main collection spans Icelandic artists from the 19th and 20th centuries but also includes international figures such as Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch, Victor Vasarely and Richard Serra.
Alongside its exhibitions in multiple halls, the gallery organises themed shows featuring Icelandic and foreign artists. It offers an art library, a photographic archive and restoration facilities, supporting scholarship on Icelandic art. The neighbouring building at Laufásvegur 12 contains specialist offices and a research library. The gallery also manages legacy collections such as the Ásgrímur Jónsson collection and, since 2012, the Sigurjón Ólafsson artworks.
In recent years, the gallery has been active in contemporary debates about authenticity, with several works undergoing inspection for possible forgeries in 2023. Looking ahead, proposals for redevelopment have been floated as of 2024, pointing to a renewed phase in its long history.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
