Álfakirkjan

Ásgrímur Jónsson grew up in southern Iceland, immersed in stories from Icelandic folklore. From an early age he was acutely attuned to his surroundings, which became a lasting source of inspiration for his artistic practice. The watercolour The Elves’ Church is based on the artist’s sketches and memories of the Hróarhóls cliffs, where tales of dwellings of the hidden people were widely known.

The sharply defined forms of the cliffs dominate the expansive landscape in which they stand. In the background, a powerful river cuts across the picture plane, while distant mountains beneath a clouded sky create a sense of depth that further amplifies the visual impact of the rock formations. The ground is rendered in brownish-grey tones, suggesting an early spring setting. On closer inspection, a wealth of details emerges: tufts of grass resemble watchful eyes gazing back at the viewer, who can discern, in the distance, members of the hidden people entering the cliffs. The elves are dressed in vivid colours, but as they near the entrance to the Elves’ Church they begin to change, becoming partially transparent, as they pass between worlds.

Descriptions of elf settlements in Icelandic folktales offer insight into people’s dreams and longings for wealth and abundance in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. The realms of the elves were considered forbidden, for humans who yielded to temptation and followed them to their dwellings without permission rarely found their way back.