Asbjørg Borgfelt
A Norwegian artist who translated the raw power of the northern landscape and Norse mythology into bold, modern sculptural forms.
1900–1976 (age 76)·Norwegian sculptor·Birthday: October 31·The Lost Generation
Biography
Asbjørg Borgfelt carved her path in the male-dominated world of early 20th-century sculpture. A student of the influential Norwegian sculptor Wilhelm Rasmussen, she developed a style that was both monumental and infused with a distinctive national character. Her work often drew from the stark beauty of the Norwegian coast and the epic narratives of Norse sagas, reimagining them with a modern sensibility. Borgfelt gained significant recognition in the 1930s and beyond, executing large-scale public commissions, including fountains and memorials, that became part of Norway's civic landscape. Her sculptures, frequently in granite or bronze, possess a robust, simplified elegance that commands space. While her artistic peers were engaging with international trends, Borgfelt remained deeply connected to her country's natural and mythological heritage, creating a body of work that stands as a testament to a specifically Nordic form of modernism.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Asbjørg was born in 1900, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Asbjørg Was Born
The biggest hits of 1900
Asbjørg's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1900Born
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1905Started school
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Became a teenager
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1916Could drive
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Could vote
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Turned 21
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1930Turned 30
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 40
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 50
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 60
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 70
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1976Died at 76
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
Key Achievements
- Created the monumental granite sculpture 'Havfrue' (Mermaid) for the Bergen Public Library, a major public art commission.
- Designed and executed the war memorial in Stord, Norway, commemorating local lives lost in World War II.
- Exhibited her work at the prestigious Høstutstillingen (Autumn Exhibition) in Oslo on multiple occasions.
Did You Know?
She was the daughter of a engineer and politician, Thor Borgfelt.
One of her notable works is a portrait bust of the famous Norwegian violinist Arve Arvesen.
Her studio was located in Oslo, where she worked for most of her professional life.
“I shape the hard granite of our mountains into the enduring forms of our people.”
