Icelandic, 1700-1800, carved pine

The rectangular panel, with slightly curved corners, is of pine, carved on one surface with interlacing scrolls in relief. The top surfaces of the scrolls are additionally embellished in places with gouged lines outlining the scrolls and with a little chip carving on leaflets at the point of junction of the scrolls. At the left-hand end of the panel the scrolls resolve into a symmetrical pattern of smaller scrolls on the last 5 cm of the panel. At the right-hand end, the main scrolling pattern disappears under a pattern of overlapping half circles in the final 5 cm of the panel. The reverse of the panel is not carved, except in a square, recessed panel in the centre (approximately 17 x 17 cm), which is carved with the letters I M S in relief, the I and the M superimposed on each other. The panel is fitted on the back with two modern mirror plates, for display, one in the centre of the lower edge, the other on the top edge close to the right-hand edge of the panel. A crack runs through the centre of the panel for about 30 cm from the left-hand edge. Slight cracking is beginning to develop on the opposite side, also in the centre.

Carved pine bedboards were a traditional element in Icelandic houses from before 1700 until after 1900. In Iceland, beds were built into the structure of the house, as in many rural communities throughout Europe. Bedboards were loose planks that could be placed across the entrance to the bed to keep the bedclothes in place. For this reason, they only needed to be decorated on one face. They were often carved by members of the familyy, or as a present from a young man to his future wife. During the day, they were hung flat on the wall, to form part of the decoration of the house. In Iceland, the traditional carved motifs of scrolling plants and interlaced patterns continued in use until after 1850. At that time they were given a new lease of life by the Arts and Crafts movement, led by the enthusiasm of the British designer William Morris for such traditional Icelandic folk-art. The monogram on the reverse of this board (IMS) presumably refers to the first owner.

12-1903