Gerda Boëthius

In 1914, while still studying, Boëthius received a commission from Anders Zorn whom she had known from childhood. Aware of her interest in timber buildings, he involved her in the planning and construction of the Gammelgården open-air museum in Mora which presented Swedish timber buildings over the centuries.^[1]

In 1919, she moved to Mora to catalogue the Zorngården art collection while continuing to work on her doctorate. With a thesis titled De tegelornerade gråstenskyrkorna i norra Svealand. Ett bidrag till kännedomen om stilströmningarna under den yngre medeltiden (Brick-decorated grey stone churches in northern Svealand. A contribution to knowledge of stylistic trends in the late Middle Ages) which earned her a doctorate in 1921. With the publication of her book Studier i den nordiska timmerbyggnadskonsten in 1927, she received an appointment as docent at Stockholm College. In 1938 she was promoted to the rank of professor.^[1][4]

For the remainder of her life she was actively involved in the Zorn Museum where after Zorn's death in 1920 she became increasingly close to his wife Emma, living together with her at Zorngården. Active in the handicrafts movement, in 1933 she created and edited the journal Hemslöjden. She retired as a museum director in 1957, devoting more time to writing.^[1]

Gerda Boëthius died in Mora on 19 August 1961.^[1]

• Gerda Boëthius from Libris