Having just seen Wagner’s opera, “Twilight of the Gods” at Atlanta Opera last week, imagine my astonishment when I discovered this cabinet in the Taft Museum of Art’s new exhibition, “The Scandinavian Home: Landscape and Lore.” It depicts King Håkan the Good riding across the Gjallerbrui, and Gondal and Skogul — two Valkyries — Riding into Valhalla, from the ancient Norse saga, Hákonarmál. It appears that a Norwegian cabinet maker and carver John Borgersen made the cabinet to the designs by artist Gerhard Munthe (Norwegian, 1849–1929).

Cabinet, 1910, pine with gouache on glass. From the Collection of David and Susan Werner, on display at the Taft.

Watch for my article next week in the Business Courier about the show.