Þórarinn B. Þorláksson. February 14 1867 – July 10 1924 (Quick Icelandic language lesson: ‘Þ’ is pronounced ‘th’ as in in ‘theatre’, ‘theodore’ and ‘thought’. ‘ð’ is pronounced ‘th’ as in ‘they’, ‘them’ and ‘that’. Ó as in ‘snow’ and ‘fro’ and á like the ‘ou’ in ‘shout’ and ‘cloud’)

Iceland is an isolated place, sat precariously in the Northern Atlantic Ocean and dominated by volcanoes, glaciers and stunning waterfalls. Iceland has always been a challenging place to survive and, with a tiny population (even today just 364,134) struggling throughout history to survive the extreme climate and treacherous land, painting and artistry was very limited until the 20th century. Since then the Icelandic art scene has flourished and evolved into one of the most active scenes for its size.

Þórarinn B. Þorláksson was one of the founding fathers of modern art in Iceland, and the first recipient of a grant given by the country to a painter.

Born as the 13th child of 14, to a clergyman father who died when Þórarinn was 5, he originally trained and worked as a bookbinder. In the late 19th century he began to train under Þóra Thoroddsen, who herself had trained in Copenhagen. Þórarinn was awarded the first ever public arts fund given in Iceland, and between 1855 and 1899 also studied in Copenhagen.

On his return to Iceland in 1900, he held his first exhibition in Reykjavík. This was the first exhibition in Iceland to feature paintings by an Icelander.

Exclusively painting Icelandic landscapes, Þórarinn was particularly enamoured by Þingvellir, Iceland’s National park and home of the country’s original parliament, The Alþingi (the oldest surviving parliament in the world, founded in 930AD). Sitting within a rift between the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia, Þingvellir lent stunning and unique views to many of Þórarinn’s works. The famous Hekla volcano also provided inspiration. Along with a handful of other artists, Þórarinn was noted for painting the landscapes of his home very much through Icelandic eyes, ignoring the conventions and traditions of the Western European artistic world.

Þórarinn continued to paint late into his life, holding regular exhibitions up until 1911. However, painting alone was not able to provide him with the income he needed and so he began teaching drawing and was the principal at the Reykjavík Technical College from 1916 – 1922. Not only did he teach and inspire other artists, but also supplied them with books and materials which he sold in his shop in the town. On December 30, 1913, he became one of the five people appointed by Prime Minister Hannes Hafstein to design the Icelandic flag.

Throughout his life, Þórarinn loved painting the countryside during summer season, and it was in his own summerhouse, Birkihlíð, that he died on July 10, 1924.

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