The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-07-22
Sweden.

Sweden.
Prof. A. A. Stomberg of the Univer-
sity of Minnesota, who is enjoying a
visit to his native land. writes from
Stockholm his impressions of the de-
velopment of the country, industrially,
socially and along literary lines. He
says that the traveller who returns TO
Sweden after an absence of 20 years
cannot fail to be nightly impressed
by the wonderful industrial and eco
nomic development that has taken
place during the last two decades.
Equally impressive are the evidences
of revived and vigorous national SEN
timents and ideals in the artistic life
Of the nation--in architecture. paint
ing. literature, and dramatic art. The
people OF that country are known TO
be very susceptible to foreign infiu-
ence and readily adopt ideas and Gus
toms from other lands. which, of
course. In itself is not fault; for no
nation can be sufficient unto itself. But
their great mistake. frequently, has
been found in their ready substitution
of the solid and meritorious national
for the foreign of less value. The ever
lasting borrowing of foreign ideas has
not been conducive to original nation
al Thought. But even hurried eXcur-
sion into the domain where the prod
ucts Of the modern Swedish artists
stand revealed will prove that, al
though the old weakness remains,
there are most striking indications of
return TO national ideals. One OF
the most remarkable evidences of this
is found In the recently completed
Masthuggs church in the city of Goth
enburg. AS planned by Sigfrid Erick-
son, a young architect of thirty-seven,
this mighty edifice stands on the most
elevated point in the city as the en-
bodiment. not so much Of religious
sentiment, as of bold and self-con-
scious national spirit that dares not
emancipate itself from the foreign and
give expression TO vigorous northern
ideals. 1t gives the impression of be-
ing a defiant challenge to those who
still question the adequacy of native
forms In the construction Of artistical-
ly noble and impressive edifices.
The designer Of this Christian temple
has not hesitated to 60 back to the
architectural designs to be found In
Scandinavian homes and temples in pa
gan times, even to the unhewn logs and
round rafters In the interior walls and
ceilings. AS In Bishop Tegner's
modern version of the old pagan Scan
dinavian sagas, It is only crudities of
the ancient forms that have been elm
mated. There are radically divergent
opinions as to the justification of such
forms in a modern Christian temple.
1t Is only when 1t Is viewed as noble
attempt to revive a national type that
the Gothenburg temple looms up before
us as truly impressive creation. The
work of such artists as Zorn, Liljefors
and Carl Larson. which is by no means
unknown In America, In a similar way
bears the impress of renascent ma
tional sentiment. Zorn and Carl Lar
son live among the people they sketch
on canvas and Liljefors spends great
part of his time in lonely residence
among the deep northern forests in
order to gain closer acquaintance
with the animals he paints. In the
same way Selma Lagerloef. the most
whose work has been rewarded by a
Nobel prize In literature, has succeeded
only when she has written about her
own people and about her own pictur-
esque provinces.