About Swedish “Bonads

The Swedish work “Bonad” means simply “wall hanging.”  The bonads at Cupboards & Roses Antiques are from the south of Sweden and date from about 1650 to the middle of the nineteenth century.  They might be considered the “poor man’s tapestry.”  Painted on paper, burlap, or hemp, they were hung or attached to the walls of the main room, bringing color and a touch of elegance to the small, dark interior.

Most bonads from this period depicted stories from the bible, or sometimes scenes of farm or village life.  Favorite themes include Jacob’s dream of angels, the visit of the magi, and the wise and foolish virgins.  Part of the charm of these pieces of folk art is that the biblical figures are depicted in the fashions of the Swedish court.
 
Bonads were painted by itinerant artists who created them according to the client’s wishes.  Themes were often chosen to commemorate a family milestone: the nativity for the birth of a first child, for example.  These were highly prized possessions, proudly exhibited during holidays, weddings, and other ceremonies.  During the long Christmas season, neighbors visited back and forth, viewing and comparing their bonads.

Today, these folk art pieces are rarely seen outside Swedish museums.  In some cases, research has identified the painter or the school responsible for certain bonads, but much work is still needed.  Most published scholarly studies are in Swedish.  We recommend Sydsvenska Bonadsmålningar, by Nils-Arvid Bringéus, Böcker on Konst, 1982.