The Aasta Hansteen gas field, located 300 kilometers west of Sandnessjøen, began production in December 2018, bearing the name of a figure whose influence spanned nineteenth-century portraiture and early feminist activism in Norway. Born in 1824 in Christiania, she navigated diverse intellectual landscapes, from the art salons of Europe to the shifting linguistic and social movements of her homeland.
Artistic Training and Portraiture
Hansteen began her formal artistic education in Copenhagen in 1840. She spent three years studying at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, aligning herself with the Düsseldorf school of painting. After exhibiting at the 1855 Paris World's Fair, she returned to Christiania. For several years, she served as the city's sole professional portraitist, a role that brought her local prominence. Her portrait of her father, Christopher Hansteen, remains on permanent display at the National Gallery of Norway.
Linguistic Contributions
Following a period of withdrawal from the art world to Telemark, Hansteen shifted her focus toward the study of Norwegian dialects under the guidance of linguist Ivar Aasen. In 1862, she achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first woman to publish a work in Nynorsk. Her literary output, which included Skrift og Umskrift i Landsmaalet and various essays on the status of women, challenged the cultural norms of her era.
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In 1880, Hansteen emigrated to the United States with her foster daughter, Theodora Nielsen. During her nine-year residency, she divided her time between the Boston area and Chicago. She observed the strategies of prominent reformers such as Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe while supporting herself through journalism for Verdens Gang and portrait commissions, including one for the editor Marcus Thrane. Returning to Norway in 1889, she became a vocal contributor to the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights.
Cultural Legacy
Hansteen’s personality and social critiques earned her a status as a fixture of Christiania, often frequenting public markets and cafes alone. Her life inspired theatrical portrayals, including the character Lona Hessel in Henrik Ibsen’s The Pillars of Society and the title role in Gunnar Heiberg’s Aunt Ulrikke. She died in 1908 and is buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund, where her grave is marked by a bust crafted by Gustav Vigeland.
Fast facts
- Born: 1824, Christiania
- Died: 1908, Christiania
- Primary Occupations: Painter, writer, activist
- Major Art Training: Copenhagen and Düsseldorf
- US Residency: 1880–1889
- Notable Works: Skrift og Umskrift i Landsmaalet, Kvinden skabt i Guds Billede
- Burial Site: Vår Frelsers gravlund
- Gas Field namesake: Aasta Hansteen, operational 2018
Questions readers ask
Was Aasta Hansteen the first woman to publish in Nynorsk?
Yes, she published a work in that language anonymously in 1862.
Did Aasta Hansteen live outside of Norway?
She lived in the United States for nine years, from 1880 to 1889.
Where is the Aasta Hansteen gas field?
It is located 300 kilometers west of Sandnessjøen in the Norwegian Sea.
