Helena Sophia Isberg

Helena Sophia Isberg, (1819, Säby, Småland-28 February 1875), was a Swedish wood cut artist.

Helena Isberg was born in Säby in Tranås in Småland. She mowed with her parents and brother to Motala in 1840. Her father was a cabinet maker. Isberg was tutored by her father to cabinet makery, lathing and carving, and was to become famous for her wood carving. In 1847, her work was exhibited in Stockholm, and made a success. She was asked to move to Stockholm, the professor Carl Gustaf Qvarnström offered her a scholarhisp to study at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, Queen Josephine of Leuchtenberg offerred her an allowance of 200$, but she declined every offer. A contemporary writer wrote about her: "She preferred to stay in the poor hut were she was born, and remained in the bosom of the poverty which had surrounded her cradle. "

Her work was exhibited in London (1862), Paris (1865) and Vienna (1875), and was internationally admired, but she was happy were she was, and lived with her brother in a cottage in Motala her entire life despite her success. On one occasion, King Charles XV of Sweden, upon a visit in Motala, expressed a wish to see Isberg. She was sent for by message to her cottage, but Helena Isberg answered, that if the King wished to see her, then he would have to come to her. No meeting took place, but Charles also admired her and also purchased her work.

See also

* Anna Maria Thelott

References

* Österberg, Carin et al., "Svenska kvinnor: föregångare, nyskapare". Lund: Signum 1990. (ISBN 91-87896-03-6)
* http://runeberg.org/sqvinnor/0233.html