Sigrid Undset

 

A brief biography.

 

Sigrid Undset, 20.05.1882–10.06.1949, was a Norwegian novelist. Poverty forced Undset to do secretarial work for a time (1898–1908).

Her early novels of seamy contemporary life, among them Jenny (1911, tr. 1921), were frank and realistic works in which she upheld traditional institutions. Her writing, always strongly ethical, deepened in religious intensity after her conversion (1924) to Roman Catholicism.

Undset is most famous for her historical novels dealing with human problems of continuing significance. Kristin Lavransdatter (3 vol., 1920–22).

It was followed by the excessively detailed and more explicitly religious Olav Audunsson (4 vol., 1925–27; tr. The Master of Hestviken, 4 vol., 1928–30).

Her later works include tales of contemporary family life, among them Ida Elisabeth (1932, tr. 1933), The Faithful Wife (1936, tr. 1937), and Madame Dorthea (1939, tr. 1940), and the autobiographical The Longest Years (1934), and Return to the Future (1942). Undset came to the United States after the Nazi invasion of Norway (1940), returning home in 1945.

Se died in Liliahammer 10th June 1949.

 

Sigrid Undset was awarded the 1928 Nobel Prize of Literature. Her wreath of laurels she dedicated to Mary’s statue in the Dominican church at Oslo.

 


 

Philately

 

Sigrid Undset (20.05.1882-10.06.1949), Nobel Laureate (1928),
member of the Third Order of
Saint Dominic.

Author of a biography of Catherine of Siena, published in 1951.

Painting by A.C. Svarstad, her husband 1912-1925.

 

Norway 1982, Mi 871A, Bl 4; Sc 811.

 

 


 

Paraguay 1977, Mi Bl 306.            Sigrid Undset. (very expensive block)

 


                                   

 Saint Vincent 1995, Mi 3316, Sc 2219 l.  Sigrid Undset. (big series)

 


 

Sigrid Undset (20.05.1882-10.06.1949), Nobel laureate (1928),
member of the Third Order of 
Saint Dominic.

Author of a biography of Catherine of Siena, published in 1951.

Photo by Gunnar Sjöwall.

 

Sweden 1998, Mi 2083, Sc 2311.

 

 

 


 

 

Sigrid Undset (20.05.1882-10.06.1949), member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic.

Author of a biography of Catherine of Siena, published in 1951.

 

Turkey 1935, Mi 997, Sc B66.

 

 


 


 

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