born May 20, 1882, Kalundborg, Den.
died June 10, 1949, Lillehammer, Nor.
Norwegian novelist.
Her father was an archaeologist, and her home life was steeped in legend, folklore, and Norwegian history. Her early novels deal with the position of women in the contemporary lower middle class. She then turned to the distant past and created her masterpiece, the trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter (1920–22), which is set in medieval Norway and depicts the spiritual growth of a strong woman. Undset converted to Roman Catholicism in 1924. Her later works, including the historical novel The Master of Hestviken (1925–27) and novels on contemporary themes, reflect her interest in religion. She received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.
Sigrid Undset.
Courtesy of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, London