tapestries similar in style to the Bayeux tapestry, i.e. with refilsaum (laid and couched work). There still exist several altar frontals of the fourteenth century showing the same technique as used in the tapestry at Bayeux, together with other works of interest. The great famine in the beginning of the fif- teenth century was the cause of declining activity in the field of art for a while, but nevertheless some in- teresting works were created in that century and up to the Reformation in 1550. Throughout the years from the settlement and up to the Reformation Iceland had constant and lively contact with other countries. This we know from written sources, and not least from the exqui- site works of art of foreign origin which still remain. These objects are mainly of a religious character, and were bought and presented to the numerous Icelandic churches during the Catholic period. The church inventories from that period show us their wealth in objects of art and books. After the Refor- mation the demand for art to decorate the churches and to be used in the holy services diminished and even ceased altogether. A continuous decline in the creation of art fol- lowed the Reformation and lasted until about 1900. There are many reasons for this. The Catholic church, which has always been a great art bene- factor, had lost its influence here. Also a decline in wealth, resulting in poorer housing, which natu- rally made it more and more difficult to place and exhibit works of art. There were no towns, and from the thirteenth century the king and govern- ment of our country was in Norway and later in Denmark. The old glamor of the wealthy Icelandic chieftains was gone. But the Icelandic sagas never ceased to be told and read, and through them the tale of the bravery of their forefathers kept the Ice- landic people alive in spirit. Thanks to that and with the reacquisition of political and economic in-

(1) Kápa
(2) Kápa
(3) Blaðsíða [1]
(4) Blaðsíða [2]
(5) Blaðsíða [3]
(6) Blaðsíða [4]
(7) Blaðsíða [5]
(8) Blaðsíða [6]
(9) Blaðsíða [7]
(10) Blaðsíða [8]
(11) Blaðsíða [9]
(12) Blaðsíða [10]
(13) Blaðsíða [11]
(14) Blaðsíða [12]
(15) Blaðsíða [13]
(16) Blaðsíða [14]
(17) Blaðsíða [15]
(18) Blaðsíða [16]
(19) Blaðsíða [17]
(20) Blaðsíða [18]
(21) Blaðsíða [19]
(22) Blaðsíða [20]
(23) Blaðsíða [21]
(24) Blaðsíða [22]
(25) Blaðsíða [23]
(26) Blaðsíða [24]
(27) Blaðsíða [25]
(28) Blaðsíða [26]
(29) Blaðsíða [27]
(30) Blaðsíða [28]
(31) Blaðsíða [29]
(32) Blaðsíða [30]
(33) Blaðsíða [31]
(34) Blaðsíða [32]
(35) Blaðsíða [33]
(36) Blaðsíða [34]
(37) Blaðsíða [35]
(38) Blaðsíða [36]
(39) Blaðsíða [37]
(40) Blaðsíða [38]
(41) Blaðsíða [39]
(42) Blaðsíða [40]
(43) Kápa
(44) Kápa
(45) Kvarði
(46) Litaspjald