#gustav wentzel

[srednod]

Gustav Wentzel Chess players 1886

[random-brushstrokes]

Gustav Wentzel (Norwegian, 1859–1927) - Rjukan Waterfall

[huariqueje]

Winter Evening    -   Gustav Wentzel ,1893.

Norwegian 1859-1927

Oil on canvas,  54 x 46 cm      21.2 x 18.1 in.

[walzerjahrhundert]

Gustav Wentzel

Breakfast II. The Artist's Family

1885

[cichocicho]

plants in art, oslo national museum

[4eternal-life]

Gustav Wentzel  (Norwegian,  1859 - 1927)

Skirenn i Fjelkenbakken, Asker

Oil on canvas 81x161

catalog / Grev Wedels Plass Auksjoner, Oslo

[artmindlens]

Gustav Wentzel Chess players 1886

The Silent Competition: Power and Vulnerability

In this painting, we see two figures seated across a chessboard, lost in thought. But this is more than a game; it is a representation of unspoken competition. The chessboard symbolizes the subtle power plays that we all experience in our daily lives—be it in relationships, careers, or leadership. The act of strategizing, the intense concentration, reveals a deeper struggle for dominance, the unconscious desire to outmaneuver others while protecting one’s vulnerabilities. The objects cluttering the room are not random; they represent the weight of past experiences, expectations, and the roles we play within them, burdening the present moment.

In the corporate world, this painting reflects the delicate balance of power within leadership teams. It may hint at unresolved competition or rivalry, perhaps between executives or partners. The painting evokes the pressure to maintain control, to stay ahead in strategy, but warns of becoming overly focused on short-term wins while neglecting the larger business vision. The emotional strain of maintaining leadership authority can lead to decision paralysis or over-calculation, jeopardizing innovation and long-term growth.

The Weight of Tradition and the Desire for Freedom

The room is filled with relics—musical instruments, religious icons, and artifacts that point to tradition and the weight of ancestry. These objects loom over the players like a silent audience, reminding them that they are not just playing for themselves, but for something much larger: the expectations of legacy. This evokes the unconscious struggle many leaders face between honoring the past and forging their own path. The chess game becomes a metaphor for the mental battle between the desire for freedom and the fear of abandoning tradition.

In a business context, this tension mirrors the challenges of running a legacy company. Leaders may feel the weight of historical success or family expectations but struggle to carve out a future that breaks from outdated strategies. The unconscious pull of tradition can prevent companies from innovating or adapting to market shifts, keeping them stuck in repetitive cycles. This painting could serve as a reminder to recognize when it’s time to break free from the past and embrace new methods of leadership.

Leadership in Isolation: The Burden of Decision-Making

The posture of the players, bent over the chessboard in deep concentration, suggests a sense of isolation. Leadership often feels like a solitary journey, where decisions are made alone, under the weight of responsibility. The player’s furrowed brow reflects the pressure of making the right move, while the cluttered surroundings imply that distractions and external influences are ever-present, complicating the decision-making process. This evokes the unconscious anxiety that accompanies leadership—the fear of making the wrong decision and the desire to maintain control.

In leadership, this sense of isolation is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can sharpen focus and drive success, but on the other, it can create a disconnect between leaders and their teams. The painting suggests that business leaders may need to reflect on whether their strategies are too isolated or rigid, potentially leading to burnout or missed opportunities for collaboration. The emotional burden of decision-making can create a sense of tunnel vision, blocking out creative or unconventional solutions that could foster growth.

The Personality of the Viewer

A person drawn to this painting may be someone who is deeply reflective, drawn to strategy, and unafraid of intellectual challenges. They are likely someone who feels the weight of responsibility in their personal or professional life, often playing the role of decision-maker. However, they may also struggle with isolation, feeling as though they must shoulder the burden of leadership alone. This person values tradition but yearns for freedom—caught between upholding the past and paving the way for future success. They may also be someone who finds comfort in structure and strategy, using these as tools to manage their own emotional complexities.

[simena]

Gustav Wentzel (detail)

[lionofchaeronea]

A Carpenter's Dedication

Anthologia Palatina 6.204 = Leonidas of Tarentum (3rd cent. BCE) Theris, skilled with his hands, offered up to Pallas His unbent cubit-marker; his stiff saw Curved on its ridge; his axe and plane, both of them gleaming; His whirling drill too – having ceased from his craft. Θῆρις ὁ δαιδαλόχειρ τᾷ Παλλάδι πῆχυν ἀκαμπῆ, καὶ τετανὸν νώτῳ καμπτόμενον πρίονα, καὶ πέλεκυν ῥυκάναν τ᾽ εὐαυγέα, καὶ περιαγὲς τρύπανον, ἐκ τέχνας ἄνθετο παυσάμενος.

A Carpenter's Workshop, Gustav Wentzel, 1881

[aeternumoccult]

THEWORLDSBEYONDEXISTENCE���👻

By:

Nils Gustav Wentzel

[camisoledadparis]

Gustav Wentzel Chess players 1886

[worldsandemanations]

Gustav Wentzel (Norwegian, 1859–1927) - Rjukan Waterfall

[random-brushstrokes]

Gustav Wentzel - Chess players (1886)

[huariqueje]

Mountain Farm with folk life   -   Gustav Wentzel ,n/d.

Norwegian 1859-1927

Oil on canvas,  35 x 52 cm.

[ourtriptoswedenandnorway]

Laundry day

Tuesday - 6/18/24

Our hotel in Oslo has a great buffet breakfast. Since it wasn’t too busy this morning I took a couple of pictures of it. Both in Stockholm and here in Oslo we have had great breakfasts. That is one meal they know how to do right!

If it’s Tuesday, it must be laundry day! Laundromats are scarce in Scandinavia. Before our trip, I did a lot of research and found only one laundromat in all of Stockholm, and it wasn’t centrally located. In Oslo, there are two or three laundromats, but none are centrally located either. This morning we took a tram out to Clean Kokos (the laundromat). It’s hard to travel for over three weeks without doing laundry at least once. Normally we rent an AirBnB during some part of our trip that has a washer and dryer— but not this trip.

Hotels have laundry service, and before we left learned that it was expensive. We were shocked to find that in Sweden it cost 85 kr ($8.19) to launder a tee shirt and 40 kr ($3.85) for a pair of socks. Oslo was even more expensive— 95 kr ($9.00) for a tee shirt and 95 kr ($9.00) for a pair of socks. We can buy them cheaper than wash them!

Laundry took a couple of hours, but we met three people on a Rick Steves’ Scandinavia tour at the laundromat and talked with them to pass the time. We learned about their travels and how Rick’s tours operate. Based on what we learned, we are still of the opinion that tours try to visit too many locations in too little time.

After we did the laundry and had returned to our hotel it started to rain, so we had lunch inside at our hotel instead of outdoors.

Mid afternoon the sun came out and we went to the National Museum. The museum features both older and modern art, contemporary art, architecture and design. It consists of 87 exhibit rooms, with each room displaying about 10 to 15 artworks. We spent about three and one half hours at the museum and managed to visit all 87 rooms! Below is a sample of a few of the artworks we saw.

Here is Munan Ovrelid’s “Buttons Unbuttoned and Empty Plates”

Art depicting Norwegian culture. This piece is from Gustav Wentzel in southern Norway showing a lively summer night's dance on an open meadow. It wasn’t raining that day :-).

And of course there were the classics, like this one from Monet.

Kristian Kvakland’s sculpture below represents how some people felt after visiting the museum’s 87 rooms of art.

And this is my favorite. From the exhibit: “Soot Klevig's work can be seen as an expression of the fear of nuclear conflict during the Cold War, but also as a contribution to the debate about the construction of nuclear power plants in Norway.”

You have got to love Soot and his symbolic expression! At first glance, before reading the description posted, I just saw fried eggs in a bunch of frying pans :-).

From the museum we went directly to Ricksha Pakistani Street Food restaurant for dinner. We had Samosa Chana Chaat, Mango Lamb, Pepper Chicken and Garlic Nahn. It was outstanding and tied with Der Peppern Gror, also in Oslo, as the best meals we have had on our trip. Ricksha is rated by TripAdvisor as third best restaurant in Oslo.

The top restaurants in Oslo do not typically serve traditional Norwegian food such as lutefisk. In Scandinavia, most restaurants offer a variety of international cuisines, including Italian, sushi, Indian, Chinese, and pizza.

[addingamogustoart]

The retired Farmers by Gustav Wentzel