HENNING – Traditions and folklore carved by hand in Norway

Henning Engelsen was born on 5 February 1918 in Sandefjord, Norway. For many years he had shown great talent in fine arts and at some point worked as an illustrator. He later said that it was by coincidence that woodcarving caught his attention.

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Henning Engelsen with his carvings

In 1947, Henning carved his first pieces at a nature reserve in Rondane, Norway and founded the wood carving company HENNING. In 1950 he built the workshop which was given a personal style and became an inspirational workplace for Henning and his employees.

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The workshop in the early 1950s
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The workshop situated in Kapp, in the eastern part of Norway, houses all parts of the production.

 

Workshop HENNING (9)
The idyllic surroundings are an inspiration to HENNING’s daily work.

 

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Ingrid Engelsen and her brother Einar Gullerud pose for a photo in the early 1950s while painting carvings outside the workshop.

Giving his name to his carvings, Henning Engelsen was the creative force behind HENNING from the very beginning. His idea was to create a world of wood-carved figures that radiate joy and humanity and inspire us to rise above the ordinary.

Henning found his inspiration in creating his own visual world, both out of the mystical and supernatural Norwegian folklore, as well as his everyday life at home; the people, animals and rampant nature. All of these aspects can be seen in his rich manifold production that counts hundreds of different motives, illustrating Norse Gods, trolls, Vikings, animals and everyday Norwegian life.

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Exhibition created by Henning Engelsen in the 1950s.
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Goats with horns carved from whale teeth

 

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Vikings blowing the horn from the 1950s

 

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One of Henning Engelsens many horse carvings 1980

His gift was rare; a combination of a creative mind and imagination that gave birth to his many characters. He had the artistic skill to fashion them from a piece of carefully selected and seasoned wood. Henning chose the subjects he knew best, and through his carvings, you come to know Norway and its culture.

During the 1950s and 1960s, HENNING grew steadily and was at one point the leading enterprise on the Norwegian souvenir market, exporting large scale to the US and growing with more than twenty employees.

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Magazine article about HENNING in 1953.
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HENNING employees

Henning Engelsen ran HENNING with great success until 1988.

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Founder Henning Engelsen (1918-2005) carving the Norse God Thor in the mid-1990s. Several woodcuts still made today are based on his original models.
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When it comes to authenticating a HENNING carving, the following must be noted:

  1. Henning carvings are most often stamped under the base with the following text: ”*HENNING* Carved by hand in Norway”. In some cases this text is imprinted into the wood.
  2. Older Henning carvings are stamped ”Carved by hand in Norway”. Old stamps may become faded over time and completely disappear.
  3. Most early Henning carvings are unsigned. On some occasions, carvings made by Henning Engelsen himself are signed with “HE” carved into the base.

See examples below:

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Most common stamp used on the majority of Henning carvings made in the last 30 years.

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Text imprinted into the wood.
Older Henning carvings stamp
Henning Engelsen’s signature carved into the base

 

Below is a collection of some of the carvings created by HENNING:

Henning Engelsen passed away on 8 September 2005. Today HENNING is still family-owned and run by two of his three daughters; Christl Engelsen, Angelina Engelsen and his son-in-law, Bjarne Espedal, who continue along the path masterfully prepared by Henning Engelsen and keep his manifold production alive. (Source: Henning Engelsen Wikipedia).

”Working by their father’s side since an early age and later entering renowned schools of art in both Norway and Germany, the two daughters have not only prolonged Engelsen’s lifetime achievement, they have also added their generations touch to the unique heritage. Stylistically their additions are typical Scandinavian, both traditional and forward-looking, yet unique pieces of artistic craftsmanship and design” (Source: Henning Norwegian Woodcarving).

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Christl Engelsen puts the finishing touches on the carvings.

 

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Christl Engelsen is a painter and illustrator, colouring the new products. With a well-trained eye for details, Christl puts the finishing touch on all HENNING carvings. She is educated at the Fachhochschule für Gestaltung in Wiesbaden, Germany.

 

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Angelina Engelsen is the designer of HENNING’s newer products. Picture from the woodcarving school in Oberammergau, Germany.

 

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Angelina Engelsen designs and gives shape to the newest additions to HENNING’s collection. Angelina is educated as a sculptor at the State Academy of Arts in Oslo and in Dresden, as well as from the School of Woodcarving in Oberammergau, Germany.

 

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The woodcarver Bjarne Espedal has been working at HENNING since 1980. Originally educated as an MA in Physics, he was passed the craft from his father-in-law, Henning Engelsen (1918-2005).

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Their little shop, MESTERSTUEN is located in a small timber house dating back to the 17th century, about 300 meters from the workshop. It is an embodiment of true Norwegian authenticity, filled with a heartwarming sincerity and artistic craftsmanship on the highest level.

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About the Author

Growing up in South Africa, Dayne Skolmen discovered his passion for writing articles in his early twenties. He enjoys exploring the lives of fascinating individuals, uncovering intriguing places, and investigating collectible vintage items. Now residing in Norway, many of his articles draw inspiration from the country’s rich art and culture landscape. Each piece he writes involves a process of in-depth research, with the discovered details and stories uniquely woven together to create interesting narratives for his readers.

For more articles visit Dayne’s Discoveries Blog, browse our online shop, join the HENNING – Norwegian Woodcarving Facebook group or contact us to share information, stories, or photographs relating to Henning woodcarvings.

One thought on “HENNING – Traditions and folklore carved by hand in Norway”

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  1. This is a very good site. THANKS. We visited in 1986 when leading a tour group from Minneapolis,Minnesota and Madison, Wisconsin. My wife Margene bought 4 carvings. Milk girl with bucket & stool, girl milking goat, boy fiddler and girl with horn. Pastor Harold Peterson, SUN CITY, Arizona

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