Reykjavík Maritime Museum

In May 1835 Paul Gaimard, a French physician and adventurer, stepped ashore in Reykjavík. He was in Iceland in search of _La Lilloise_, the vanished ship. Instead, he discovered Iceland and its people, and developed a deep aection for both. Gaimard’s expedition to Iceland, manned by an outstanding team of scholars and artists, is the most ambitious scientic expedition ever sent to Iceland from abroad. In 1835 and 1836 the group studied and documented the culture, society and nature of this remote island. They travelled all over the country, in challenging conditions. Their findings were published in 12 volumes, including three books of illustrations, which comprise an invaluable source on 19th-century Iceland. The books would go on to have a substantial impact on Iceland’s image in the outside world, and Icelanders’ own attitude to their cultural heritage. In his tribute in verse To M. Paul Gaimard, Iceland’s beloved poet Jónas Hallgrímsson (1807-1845) foresees the memory of Gaimard, who had inspired the nation’s pride and desire for self-determination, being honoured by the Icelanders in perpetuity. But is that what happened?

In the evening, when this landscape is lit by the soft reflections of a silvery light, when all is calm, and when one hears nothing but the waterfall, and the gentle whisper of tussocks of moss caressed by the wind, this is one of the most romantic places that is possible to see. 

But sometimes, amid this citadel of volcanic rocks, we were suddenly brought to a halt by the view of a blue lake enclosed by this arid territory, like a silver cup for the mountain bird to come and refresh its wings. 

This exhibition has been a collaboration between the Reykjavík City Museum and the University of Iceland's School of Humanities, curated by students in a course within its Cultural Studies Programme in the spring of 2025.

Instructors - Helga Maureen Gylfadóttir, Guðbrandur Benediktsson and Sumarliði R. Ísleifsson


A View of the North

How could the mysterious disappearance of a French naval vessel cause a turning-point in the history of the Icelandic nation?