1950, Alf Rolfsen, The Occupation Frieze (Okkupasjonsfrisen) (detail) -- Oslo City Hall

From the Oslo Municipality Art Collection website (www.kunstsamlingen.no):

After the work on the Næringsveien on the north wall of the City Hall was completed in 1941, disagreements arose. The decoration jury had decided that Rolfsen should rework his competition drafts to adapt his decoration to Henrik Sørensen's work that was to be done on the south wall. Only after the Second World War was an agreement reached, and Rolfsen resumed work based on new sketches.

On the east wall's 30-meter-long pictorial frieze, Rolfsen depicted Norway during the German occupation, partly based on his own experiences. On the far left, sinister news is exchanged at the water fountain, while resistance fighters head for the forest. Enemy planes appear and ships are sunk. The representative of the dictatorship forces his way into a home, where he is contrasted by the young man with a clenched fist. The country is then destroyed, which also affects the culture. This is symbolized by the crushing of ancient caryatids, i.e. columns shaped like female figures. To the right of this, the Gestapo's Victoria Terrace can be glimpsed through a ruin, while resistance fighters Wickstrøm and Hansteen are placed against the execution wall. Illegal groups work in the basements, and partisans are outlined against the morning sky. In front of them is a prison camp, where one day the gates burst and the prisoners stream towards the light. Thus, the celebration of freedom begins, and the May 17th march waves forward.

Important parts of the action take place relatively high up on the wall in the first two scenes, while in the third it unfolds further down. From the fourth field, two parallel themes build up, one up and one down. From there, the action rises upwards and fades into the celebration of freedom. The five main scenes are delimited by painted architectural elements that contribute to the visual connection between the scenes appearing more successful than in Rolfsen's fresco on the north wall. The colors are cool in the first and last image, while the depictions of oppression, terror and resistance are characterized by a warmer color scheme.

Taken on: July 5, 2025

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Photo by R.M. Lenox

Oslo City Hall

Oslo radhus

Norway

Norwegian

maleri

fresco

freske « less

Sets appears in: • All Paintings (chronological order) • 1950-1999 more » • Norwegian painters • Oslo City Hall • Date taken « less

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