Where it all began
The ChristianssandsBilledgalleri (“the Christianssands Picture Gallery”) was Kristiansand’s first art collection and it was established as early as 1902.
The Christianssands Billedgalleri (“the Christianssands Picture Gallery”) was Kristiansand’s first art collection and it was established as early as 1902. Actor couple Sigvard and Laura Gundersen donated the very first works to the collection, which were taken care of by the Christianssands Art Association. The most central work among them was En formaning (Warning) by Christian Krohg. This painting was a part of a series of works related to his novel Albertine, which was about a young seamstress who was raped by a police officer and ended up becoming a prostitute.
Over time, the collection was given the opportunity to grow through occasional purchases, savings, and membership dues as well as lottery proceedings, gifts, and endowments for various funds. Today the collection consists of 883 works of art featuring central pieces by artists from theSørlandet region, including Amaldus Nielsen, Adolph Tidemand, Olaf Isaachsen, Kjell Nupen, Leonard Rickhard and Else Marie Jakobsen as well as works by nationally known artists such as J.C. Dahl, Erik Werenskiold, Edvard Munch, Arne Ekeland, Marianne Heske, A.K. Dolven and many others.
A museum is born
The ChristianssandsBilledgalleri(“the Christianssands Picture Gallery”) was important for the establishment of the former SørlandetsKunstmuseum (now Kunstsilo). When the institution was founded in 1995, an agreement was made regarding the long-term disposal of the collection in which the aim of administering it was to make it accessible to the public as well asmaintain it through restoration and conservation efforts.