The Wise and the Foolish – The Search for the Lost Maiden Tapestry
At the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, textile artist Frida Hansen's seven-metre tapestry The Five Wise and the Five Foolish Virgins was displayed publicly for the first time. It then disappeared.
What happened? Where did it go? And who are the five wise and the five foolish virgins?
On 8 March 2025, an 18-month search began to uncover the mystery of the lost virgins. At Kapittel, the findings from this investigation will be presented.
Linn Ullmann is one of Norway's most acclaimed authors and has received numerous awards, including the Aschehoug Prize, the Amalie Skram Prize and the P2 Listeners' Novel Prize. Her current cross-genre five-book project explores the work of female artists through different perspectives, all inspired by the parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins from the Gospel of Matthew. Frida Hansen and the Lost Tapestry forms the basis of the first book.
The event forms part of Kapittel – Stavanger International Festival for Literature and Freedom of Expression, taking place from 16–20 September 2026. More information, the full programme and tickets are available at www.kapittel.no.
Please note that photographs and video may be taken at selected events at Sølvberget and during the Kapittel Festival for documentation and use on social media.
