Þorvaldur Guðmundsson and Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir were very interested in art, culture and history and their private collection includes most of the gems in Icelandic art history. This is by far Iceland’s largest private collection with a total of 1,560 pieces. Around 460 works from the collection are on display at Hotel Holt. Þorvaldur and Ingibjörg wanted to give the hotel a distinguishable Icelandic character and so the building was adorned with Icelandic art from the very beginning. The artwork in Hotel Holt is numbered and catalogued and the reception offers further information and a guided tour of the hotel museum upon request.
Our art
Hotel Holt is in fact an art museum in a hotel where you’ll find part of the largest private collection of Icelandic art.
A Passion for collection
Jóhannes S. Kjarval
Dyrfjöll
Jóhannes S. Kjarval (1885-1972) was one of Iceland’s most accomplished painters and most of the works in the museum are by him: around 500 works from every period of his career. Kjarval drew and painted from an early age and studied art in Iceland to the extent it was available. He was 25 years old when he went to Copenhagen to study with the aid of his beneficiaries. Kjarval never shied away from experimenting creatively. Icelandic nature was an inspiration to him and within it he created a mystical world of hidden people. Icelanders adored Kjarval and this complex artist’s body of work is interwoven with the Icelandic national spirit.
Jóhannes S. Kjarval
Dyrfjöll
Jóhannes S. Kjarval (1885-1972) was one of Iceland’s most accomplished painters and most of the works in the museum are by him: around 500 works from every period of his career. Kjarval drew and painted from an early age and studied art in Iceland to the extent it was available. He was 25 years old when he went to Copenhagen to study with the aid of his beneficiaries. Kjarval never shied away from experimenting creatively. Icelandic nature was an inspiration to him and within it he created a mystical world of hidden people. Icelanders adored Kjarval and this complex artist’s body of work is interwoven with the Icelandic national spirit.
Ásgrímur Jónsson
Hvítárvatn og Langjökull
Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876-1958) was a pioneer of Icelandic art and the first professional Icelandic artist. He was Kjarval’s mentor and is best known for his landscape paintings. Many of those can be found in Hotel Holt and the work Hvítárvatn and Langjökull is in the hotel’s restaurant.
Ásgrímur Jónsson
Hvítárvatn og Langjökull
Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876-1958) was a pioneer of Icelandic art and the first professional Icelandic artist. He was Kjarval’s mentor and is best known for his landscape paintings. Many of those can be found in Hotel Holt and the work Hvítárvatn and Langjökull is in the hotel’s restaurant.
Einar Jónsson
Friðarengill
Einar Jónsson (1874-1954) was Iceland’s first sculptor and his museum Hnitbjörg, which opened in 1923, was Iceland’s first art museum. He was famous for his national and mythical references and later for his symbolism. His work, Friðarengill / Angel of Peace, can be found in the hotel’s lobby.
Einar Jónsson
Friðarengill
Einar Jónsson (1874-1954) was Iceland’s first sculptor and his museum Hnitbjörg, which opened in 1923, was Iceland’s first art museum. He was famous for his national and mythical references and later for his symbolism. His work, Friðarengill / Angel of Peace, can be found in the hotel’s lobby.
JÓN STEFÁNSSON
ÁNING
Jón Stefánsson (1881–1962) studied in Copenhagen and Paris and is considered one of the pioneers in Icelandic art history. He was mainly inspired by Iceland’s vast landscapes and everyday life, evident in paintings such as Áning / Picnic which he made in 1939 for one of Copenhagen’s finest restaurants, Frascati. When the restaurant went out of business in 1972, Þorvaldur bought it and moved it to Iceland. It has been one of the main features in Hotel Holt’s restaurant ever since.
JÓN STEFÁNSSON
ÁNING
Jón Stefánsson (1881–1962) studied in Copenhagen and Paris and is considered one of the pioneers in Icelandic art history. He was mainly inspired by Iceland’s vast landscapes and everyday life, evident in paintings such as Áning / Picnic which he made in 1939 for one of Copenhagen’s finest restaurants, Frascati. When the restaurant went out of business in 1972, Þorvaldur bought it and moved it to Iceland. It has been one of the main features in Hotel Holt’s restaurant ever since.
Ásmundur Sveinsson
Tónar hafsins
Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982) was an efficient sculptor and known for his simple and shapely works of figurative and abstract art. The collection includes a number of his works, for example Tónar hafsins / Notes of the Sea and Framtíðin / The Future, both by the hotel’s entrance.
Ásmundur Sveinsson
Tónar hafsins
Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982) was an efficient sculptor and known for his simple and shapely works of figurative and abstract art. The collection includes a number of his works, for example Tónar hafsins / Notes of the Sea and Framtíðin / The Future, both by the hotel’s entrance.
Kristín Jónsdóttir
Kaldidalur
Kristín Jónsdóttir (1888-1959) was the first Icelandic woman to study art in The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Kristín is known for her still-lives and landscapes, such as the work Kaldidalur / Kaldidalur in the hotel’s restaurant.
Kristín Jónsdóttir
Kaldidalur
Kristín Jónsdóttir (1888-1959) was the first Icelandic woman to study art in The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Kristín is known for her still-lives and landscapes, such as the work Kaldidalur / Kaldidalur in the hotel’s restaurant.
Júlíana Sveinsdóttir
Hekla
Júlíana Sveinsdóttir (1889-1966) was a student of Þórarinn B. Þorláksson and would go on to further art studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Júlíana and Kristín Jónsdóttir were the first Icelandic women to become professional visual artists. The Hotel Holt collection includes the painting Hekla, which adorns the hotel’s reception.
Júlíana Sveinsdóttir
Hekla
Júlíana Sveinsdóttir (1889-1966) was a student of Þórarinn B. Þorláksson and would go on to further art studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Júlíana and Kristín Jónsdóttir were the first Icelandic women to become professional visual artists. The Hotel Holt collection includes the painting Hekla, which adorns the hotel’s reception.