Söstrene Persen

Born: Johanne Henrikke Jenny Persen
Born: Thoma Natvig Persen
Other: Jenny Persen
Other: Thoma Persen
Other: Persen Sisters

Born: 
Died: 
Gender: 
Active: Norway
 
The two sisters Jenny and Thoma Persen (Söstrene Persen) worked together but little is known about them.

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The Persen sisters, Johanne Henrikke Jenny Persen born 1864 and her sister Thoma Natvig Persen born 1867 started their company Søstrene Persen in Bergen in 1888. They were originally from Stavanger, but got their education in Stockholm and most likely in Copenhagen. They ran their business for approx. 10 years. They were groundbreaking for their time. In 1898 they exhibited their artistic, experimental and humorous photographs at the World Exhibition in Bergen. The Persen sisters used their friends' friends as models for their humorous and subtle motives. With national romantic backgrounds and motifs such as bunads and peasant wives with the rock, the two photographer sisters got a name as female photographers. They photographed Norwegian and Swedish folk costumes where they presented their models in fun and exciting poses. The hand-colored photographs on their own. In 1898, the Persen sisters closed down their photo studio and started a bromide studio where they developed and processed their photographs. They produced prospect cards that they sold to the tourist industry. Among the models were, among others, the son of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Bjørn Bjørnson and his wife opera singer Gina Oselio.
 
Text by Maria Isabel Corral (Galleri Balder, Oslo, Norway)