The St. Olav Altar Frontal

July 29th is the memorial of Norway's national saint...

This majestic wooden altar frontal is dedicated to the king, martyr, and national saint of Norway, Olav Haraldson (995 – 1030). It is painted in late Gothic style and depicts the last phase of his life, his death, and canonization. The frontal was made circa 1330, twenty years before the Black Death arrived with such devastating consequences in Norway. The historical account telling of St. Olav is provided by a medieval text called Heimskringla, written by the Icelandic author Snorre Sturlason ( 1179-1241).