Monday 4 April 2011

Haraldur Hamar

It was brought to my attention the other day that I, like Haraldur Hamar, can raise one eyebrow. Hamar is the impish subject of one of Raymond McIntyre’s most penetrating and confrontational portraits. An Icelandic writer and snappy dresser, Hamar had a penchant for nice ties which didn’t escape the attention of this reviewer...
You can read the full review on Papers Past.



Raymond McIntyre, Haraldur Hamar, 1923 Oil on hardboard, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1983

We don't have a lot of information about this enigmatic Icelander in our collection but we'd love to know more! Any tip-offs or leads would be much appreciated. - Julia Waite

7 comments:

Robert McCall said...

Really nice portrait, with that inquisitive brow. Love it, thanks for posting. Best,

andrew killick said...

this picture reminds me of a girl i fancied from afar in an art history paper. i remember her looking at this picture as she walked ahead of me through the gallery on our way to the basement lecture theatre. that's one of the nice things about art.

paul said...

Be good to link to the collection item from here
http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/the-collection/browse-artwork/6326/haraldur-hamar
rether than just the image

Julia Waite said...

Hi Paul, thanks for your suggestion. We're interested to learn more about Haraldur Hamar, have you read any of his work?

Anonymous said...

Nicholson in her _Among the Bohemians_ writes: > "Haraldur Hamar. Known by his sobriquet 'Iceland,' this penniless Cafe Royal 'character' was for many years a figure in the English Bohemian world. Iceland claimed to be a playwright, but his plays were never produced. His own work-on role was in the lives of Augustus John, Nina Hamnett, C.R.W. Nevinson & the Sitwells.< J.W. Gaston, U.S.A.

Guðmundur Brynjólfsson said...

Augustus John also made a portrait of this talented man, Haraldur Hamar.

One play by Haraldur Hamar exists, "Sancta Sanna". The only existing manuscript is preserved in The National Library of Iceland. The play "A lyrical Drama in four Acts" has never been staged.

Julia Waite said...

Hello everyone, thanks so much for your comments, I'm sorry its taken a while for me to respond.

I've found more information and here's my follow up post on my favourite Icelandic.

http://aucklandartgallery.blogspot.com/2011/10/more-hamar.html