On Tuesday, August 26, the gravestone of the artist Guðmundur Thorsteinsson – Muggur (1891–1924) at Hólavallakirkjugarður Cemetery was unveiled following an extensive restoration. The stone was originally erected in 1936 and was designed by the Danish artist Elof Risebye (1892–1961), a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.
The gravestone, which is cast, features a mosaic image of a white bird, inspired by Muggur’s artworks. Although Risebye and Muggur never met, Risebye was profoundly moved by Muggur’s art, finding in it a deep resonance with his own emotions and worldview. He began collecting Muggur’s works in 1927, and in 1958 he generously donated 46 of Muggur’s artworks to the National Gallery of Iceland, a gift to both the museum and the Icelandic nation.
Following the unveiling ceremony, the National Gallery of Iceland hosted a gathering at Safnahúsið (The Culture House) for Muggur’s relatives and guests. During the event, Dagný Heiðdal, an art historian at the National Gallery of Iceland, gave a talk on the relationship between Risebye and Muggur.
The restoration of the gravestone was initiated by Muggur’s family, descendants of Pétur and Ásthildur Thorsteinsson, and was carried out by conservator Jeannette Castioni.
