| Summary: | Studio portrait of a girl standing next to a chair, wearing a dark dress, boots, and bows in her hair. This portrait was taken by Solvason's Studio in Cavalier, N.D. He photographed early settlers, many of whom were Icelandic Americans. Cabinet photographs; 17 x 11 cm. "Solvason's Studio, Cavalier, N.D."--Printed on front of photograph. Title created by staff. "Ásgeir Sölvason (1863-1959) No individual captured more images of the early Icelandic settlers in North Dakota than Asgeir Solvason, pioneer photographer at Cavalier from 1890 until 1907. The son of Dakota pioneer Solvi Solvason and his first wife, Solveig Stefansdottir, Asgeir was born at Ytri-Langamyri in Hunavatnssysla, Northern Iceland, on Jan. 31, 1865. Just five when his mother died, he emigrated with his father at age 11 in 1876 and spent four years in New Iceland and Winnipeg. A youth of 15 when the family moved to Dakota Territory in 1880, he grew to adulthood on his father's homestead in the Hallson district west of Cavalier. Little is known about Asgeir's photographic career except through his work. By the early 1890's he was producing high quality photographs bearing the mark A. Solvason, Cavalier, and he evidently maintained a studio in Cavalier until 1907. During this time he photographed hundreds of individuals, couples, and families, and many of his early portraits were taken against a scenic backdrop that became a hallmark of his work. He also took outdoor photos of homesteads, villages, and groups. Over the years the style of his cabinet cards changed, and in later years he adopted other formats and a less elaborate mark. During the summer of 1892 Asgeir Solvason is known to have employed Winnipeg photographer Christian H. Richter (Kristjan Kristjansson) in his Cavalier studio, and he later trained Pall E. Eriksson, the son of pioneers at Akra, who subsequently established a studio in nearby Milton. Married in 1896 to Olof Vigfusdottir Hallsson from Glasston, Asgeir Solvason was widowed in 1907. He then left Cavalier and settled in Washington State. Asgeir Solvanson died in Tacoma at age 83, on Sept. 29, 1948. There are no known descendants." Information from: http://www.sagapublications.com/photo17.html
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