Gustav Vigeland's life began on April 11, 1869, in a small southern coastal town called Mandal, Norway. He had four brothers. His father was a master carpenter who had his own furniture workshop, this is where I think Vigeland was first influenced to pick up the art of woodcarving. His father employed apprentices but designed and carried out the woodcarving on the furniture himself, again an influence on Vigeland's later works and habits. In December of 1882, Vigeland moved to his maternal grandfather's farm with his mother and youngest brother. He moved because his father, who used to be a stern and devout religious man, had turned to drinking and became involved with a young woman. At this time he attended the local school and occupied his time with woodcarving and reading. From 1884 to 1885, Vigeland's father took him to Oslo where he apprenticed to a professional woodcarver. During this time in Oslo, he attended evening classes in drawing at the Royal School of Design and visited the Sculpture Museum. In 1886 he returned to Mandal because his father fell ill and later died. He helped with work on the farm and he also drew sculptures. He also did a lot of studying from books about anatomy. At the age of 19 he returned to Oslo and got a job as a woodcarver in a woodcarving workshop, but was fired on Christmas Eve because of a lack of orders. The following year he showed his drawings to Brynjulf Bergslien who became his first teacher. This is when he first started sculpting and he produced many statues and monuments such as the group, 'Hagar and Ishmael', which was accepted by he autumn National Art Exhibition. Vigeland led a very low-key social life because he did not want to see one way of life by being around just one group of people. He saw life in many different ways and did not want anyone to influence or narrow down his thoughts and perception on life. (Wikborg, 1994)
He had many travels abroad to study on his own to learn more. He read constantly to learn more and he worked hard. On one of his trips to Paris, 1892, Vigeland stayed with Auguste Rodin and this played an important part in Vigeland creating his relief. 'Hell'. The relief has one figure in the center and it is said to symbolize Satan. There are a lot of people on the right moving to the left and dying, some are passing by, but most die. The figures are young and old and they are all pleading with Satan as they pass by to let them live. Vigeland was supposedly a person of great intensity of feeling and expressiveness. Which is apparent in his sculptures. His memorabilia of Camilla Collett expresses a great emotion. She was a very popular and gifted feminist. They way her statue is made, it makes it look as if there is a constant wind blowing around her. To me it makes me feel as if her soul is blowing through me as I stand and look upon her. Or maybe, the wind blowing her dress is meant to represent her actions, that she caused such an uproar at a second's notice. Vigeland was influenced by other artists too, for example, Edvard Munch, who was a great expressionist and symbolistic. It is possible today to look back and see corresponding themes between the two artists. Such as Vigeland's sculpture 'Fear' and Munch's painting 'The Shriek'. (Wikborg, 1994)
In 1900 he created the first model of the fountain which is now situated in Vigeland Park. By 1906 Vigeland had completed a 1/5 size model of the fountain and exhibited it from October 14 to November 25. Prior to this exhibition his work had been funded by private investors. In 1906 the first 'Vigeland Committee' had been formed to raise money to support his work. Originally the fountain was supposed to go in front of the 'Storting', the Norwegian Parliament. When the idea of the fountain was first suggested to be placed in front of the Storting it was ridiculed and made fun of in the newspapers and by other people. Gunnar Heiberg was one of the few whom wrote positively about Vigeland's works. Vigeland's thoughts and ideas about the fountain were expanding, he wanted to add more sculptures to the fountain. So, the place in front of the Storting was too small for his ambitions. In February of 1921, Oslo city decided that they would build him a studio, which would later become a museum. The contract also said that Oslo would give him all that he needed, if he would let the city of Oslo have all the works that he produced from then on. From the time he made the first model for the fountain, Vigeland worked on the park till the time he died on March 12, 1943, suffering from a heart disease. As with many artist, Vigeland became more famous after death than he was when he was alive. His park became a major success because there is something for everyone to do there. (Wikborg, 1994)