Ambrosia Tønnesen (1859–1948) was Norway’s first professional female sculptor and a pioneer in Norwegian sculpture. She worked at a time when the field was heavily male-dominated, yet managed to make her mark both nationally and internationally. She frequently participated in the Autumn Exhibition, but has never before had a solo exhibition in the capital. This presentation is therefore a rare opportunity to rediscover an artistic practice that has been underrepresented in art history, spanning more than 60 years of active work.

The exhibition begins with her earliest attempts as a sculptor, in the form of reliefs and romantic fantasy busts of young women. As commissions began to flow in, she increasingly focused on more realistic statues and portrait busts.

Her professionalism and productivity alone are strong reasons to showcase her art, but she also deserves to be celebrated for paving the way for other women in the arts — with hammer and chisel in hand.

The exhibition Ambrosia Tønnesen. Sculpture has been developed by Kode in collaboration with curator Jorunn Veiteberg.

We thank the Bergesen Foundation, Sparebankstiftelsen DNB, and The Ford Jebsen Collection for their support of the exhibition at the Vigeland Museum.