The Path to Norwegian Independence
Guiding Question: How did Norwegian Romantic Nationalism and Norwegian Independence Movements build off of each other?
Current Month-by-Month plan: For each month, one work of romanticized depiction will be produced (see final project) based on what was studied. For August, the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814 and the many events surrounding it. For September, October, and November, Norwegian political, cultural/artistic, and economic history from 1814-1905 (either one category per month or a chunk of that time period for each month), and for December, post-independence Norway, 1905-1914.
Final Project: Collection of original works of art (Primarily hand-drawn illustrations, but also potentially poems, songs, short stories, and paintings) that depict important events/facets of life/et cetera* in the studied period (Norway, 1814-1914) in the style and manner that Norwegian Romantic Nationalist art depicted traditional Norwegian culture and history, and each piece/work of art (current plan is one to three work(s)** of art/month) will also have a written explanation on what it depicts, how it romanticizes the event/facet of life/et cetera, and how these deviations from the subject are accurate/true to/in line with the deviations that Norwegian Romantic Nationalist art took from their subjects.***
*Mostly going to focus on important events. “Facets of life” refer to using something that was a mostly regular part of Norwegian culture and/or life during that time period, which could include: working at a job, a wedding, school life, eating at a restaurant
**Current plan is to try for two. If only one is made for a month, then it will be of an important event; if two are made for a month, then at least one will be of an important event, and the other one being of a “facet of life” will gain preference over another important event; if three are made for a month, then at least one will be of an important event, at least one of a “facet of life,” and the third could be either.
***Essentially, this explanation would allow for a demonstration of understanding of both the subject and the genre of Norwegian Romantic Nationalist Art, and allow for both me (the writer, artist, and student) and any potential audience to gain insight on how romanticized depictions of cultures and history alter reality.