Predikstolsmakare och predikstolskonst före 1777 i norra Hälsingland, Medelpad och Ångermanland

Sammanfattning: The general aim of this dissertation has been making an inventory of all the old pulpits carved before 1777 in the above mentioned provinces in the central part of Norrland. To make thisinventory I have visited all the churches that have or might possibly have old pulpits, to make descriptions of them or of pulpit fragments and to take photos, blanck-and-white and dias. A selection of these photos have been used as illustrations. In addition to this I have excerpted from the archives of Härnösand and Östersund looking for material that might throw light upon the names of the carvers and date the pulpits. The collections of photos and archives inthe ATA, Stockholm, have also been examined.The introductory chapter treats the history and functions of the pulpit in general. To this is added some information about the law and rules which the craftsmen had to follow during these centuries.In the following chapters the pulpits are more closely described and attributed to the different carvers about whom I have given some biographical data. A special chapter is devoted to the iconography of the pulpits and the sound-boards and to the graphic patterns that have given impulses to the carvers. Also the biblical or secular quotations carved or painted on the pulpits and sound-boards are discussed from the point of view of their pedagogical aim during the17th century when influence from orthodoxy is noticeable. In the following century the iconography grew richer often with a central motif in high relief with a subject taken from the gospels.As a result of my investigations the history of pulpits in Norrland has been treated more extensively. It is now possible to follow the development from the earliest very simple and undecorated pulpits to those with portrayals of Christ and the evangelists and, at last, the more artistic products of the baroque and rococo style. It is obvious that the decoration of the pulpits very often shows a strongly pronounced retardation in the different styles. The impulces from art centres have been extremely limited which has led to the consequence that the material treated gives a provincial impression. It has also been possible to correct some confusionsand mistakes in earlier literature about the art in the churches of this area.The most famous carvers during the 17th century were Peder Olofsson in Ljusdal, Måns Jonsson in Hudiksvall (Hs), Jöns Olofsson in Skedvik (Me), and Erik Olofsson Bring in Anundsjö(An). During the 18th century appear Magnus Granlund from Härnösand (Ån), Olof Gieting (Me) and Johan Edler the elder from Jämtland as the most prominent carvers of pulpits andaltar pieces in the area.To the dissertation are added a comprehensive catalogue of the pulpits with specifications of carvers, painters, dates and archives, a cataloge of the quotations from the Bible and maps of the provinces and their churches.