The four guardians of Iceland

Description:	This artists book investigates the meaning behind the icons on every Icelandic Kronur: Dragon,Bull,Eagle and Stone Giant. Made by Bea Nettles while she was an artist-in-residence in Iceland.This book shows the mythical journey of the warlock, in the form of a whale, who circled around Iceland to spy for King Harald of Norway. At every cardinal direction, he was blocked by a guardian: Dragon, Eagle, Bull and Giant. These four beings are found on the back of every Icelandic krona.--Statement from artists website (accessed August 23, 2018).On the back of every Krona coin in Iceland, one finds the four guardians: the Dragon, Eagle, Bull and Giant. There is an old story that King Harald of Norway sent a warlock to discover a landing place on Iceland. The magician, disguised as a whale, is turned back at every entry point and the island is saved. This book shows the mythical journey of the warlock, in the form of a whale, who circled around Iceland to spy for King Harald of Norway. At every cardinal direction, he was blocked by a guardian: Dragon, Eagle, Bull and Giant. These four beings are found on the back of every Icelandic krona.Quotations from Heimskringla: Norweigian kings, v.3, ch. 37, by Snorri Sturluson.I-ART: Library has 3/3.
Origin:	2007
Created By:	Nettles, Bea, 1946-; Sturluson, Snorri
Publisher:	Hafnarfjörður, Iceland: Bea Nettles, 2007.
Source:	http://iuidigital.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BookArts/id/1505
Collection:	Herron Library Fine Press and Book Arts Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright
Subjects:	Nettles, Bea, 1946- Photography, Artistic. Artists books--Iceland. Artists books--Specimens. Iceland--Maps. Iceland--Pictorial works. Maps. Pictorial works. Specimens.

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