Letter
18 Pages
Transcription: Tor Martin Leknes
Translation: Francesca Nichols
Transcription
Kjære Hr. Meyer!
Tak for Deres venlige brev – og tùsend tak for all
Deres venlighed mog mig i Bergen i vaar, – det er
en stor skam af mig, at jeg ikke har skrevet til Dem
för, – men her var saa megen sykdom efter min hjem-
komst; – min kone og mine börn var daarlige og jeg
selv var sterkt forkjölet, saa jeg trodde, det skulde blevet
lùngebetændelse; – og saa gik vi ængstelige og ventede
paa min kones nedkomst, som trak ud langt over tiden.
Vi var særlig ængstelige for hende, fordi hùn var saa daar-
lig efter faldet fra lemmen i vinter; – aarebetændelsen
tiltog stadig; – men det gik da bra med historien
alligevel, og hùn fik en datter, – (som det skùlde
være for at holde den rigtige rækkefölge gut – pike
gut – pike o.s.v.) Ja nù bùrde det forresten være slut,
da vi jo har 5 börn alt.
Billedet, som De taler om, har jeg arbeidet paa ivaar,
og tog det nù frem igjen og skal pröve at faa det færdigt
snarest. "Tùnjölet" faar jeg kalde det ("Tungjèl" vil
man vel kanske sige andetsteds). Prisen hùsker jeg ikke,
om vi talte noget om (mùligens lovede jeg Deres frùe det
for en bestemt sùm – var det 800? – I saafal staar
Desværre, – pennetegningen, som jeg lovede Dem kan
jeg ikke finde, – jeg er skamfuld derover, – haaber dog
endnù at finde den. Jeg har imidlertid fùndet
frem nogle andre pennetegninger, – og saa fandt
jeg en radering, – den eneste jeg har ùdfört, –
det vil sige den eneste, som der er bleven taget pröve-
tryk af. Overlærer Nordhagen, paa den kgl. tegnesko-
le, var saa begeistret for min kùnst, og vilde absolut
have mig til at radere – endskjont jeg sa, at jeg havde
imod materialet, som slett ikke laa for mig, – men
han gav sig ikke, – jeg maatte gjöre en forsök paa en
liten kobberplate, – han sa, at jeg skulde pröve at
erindre et eller andet af mine motiver, og jeg hùskede
i farten paa et lidet vaar motiv fra en haùg, hvor
der boede to gamle kjærringer, som stod og satte poteter, –
Jeg syntes der var en egen mystik over motivet; – men
jeg blev saa skuffet over resùltatet, da jeg fik se
"prövetrykken", at jeg kaserede platen; – jeg retoùcherede
lidt paa prövetrykken med pen, – da jeg tænkte at lave
raderingen om igjen paa en större kobberplate, – men det
blev der aldrig noget af, – jeg havde faaet grùndig
afsmag for raderkùnsten, og jeg tror dette forsök blir
baade mit förste og sidste. Da denne radering ogsaa
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er den eneste tryk, som blev taget af hin plate,
saa er den altsaa i 2 henseender et "ùnicùm",
og som saadant, tænkte jeg, at De mùligens kunde
have interesse af at have den, og sender den
derfor som en liden tak for Deres venlighed mod
mig ved forskjellige anledninger, – ligeledes tör jeg
kanske bede Dem modtage 2 pennetegninger, som jeg
jeg nærmere skal omtale senere (Nr. 1 og Nr. 2)
Selvfölgelig skal De ogsaa faa den för omtalte penne-
tegning, som jeg var "antagen" paa af forlaget – hvis jeg finder
den.
Tak for at De har talt med Neumann for mig –
jeg skal skrive til ham, – jeg er krævet af hans firma
for 64 Kr., og jeg er ganske blank. Bed ham undskylde
mig saa længe.
Jeg har som for nævnt gang paa gang været paa Mykle-
bùst og ledt gjennem alle de tùsendvis af tegnin-
ger, stùdier og notiser, som jeg har der, men det har
været mig ùmùligt at finde den tegning, jeg lovede
Dem; – jeg har endnù ikke opgivet alt haab om at finde
den; – men alle mine ting er i en sörgelig forfat-
ning der inde, – jeg har været syk nogle aar og saa-
ledes ikke faaet se over mine ting. Jeg har to gange
ladt folk faa bo gratis i hùsene mine derinde, og fölgen
er at alle mine tegninger og studier, (foruden böker om
kùnst og reprodùctioner), som laa pakket i en mængde
kasser, slig at der var en slags orden i det hele, –
de er nù tömt ùd over gùlvet paa loftet i en stor
haùg, – en masse er tiltrakket og istykker revet, –
antagelig har en af de familier, som fik bo der været
i veed-mangel og har tömt kasserne og hùgget
dem op til brændsel, – eller de har havt bruk for
kasserne, naar de skùlde flytte. Jeg finder saaledes
som sagt en masse af mine arbeider helt ödelagt
(trakket paa med skidne födder, og tilsölede
af tobaksspyt, – der blev nemlig spillet kort oppe
paa loftet, og man trakkede omkring i mine tegninger)
Det er ikke noget hyggeligt arbeide at sortere ud
igjen sligt, og jeg har været i daarligt hùmör, hver-
gang jeg har været derinde, – imidlertid fandt
jeg i en liden kasse nogle tegninger, som var nogen-
lunde vel bevarede, – jeg finder stadig nogle, naar jeg er
der inde, og jeg er sikker paa at finde flere endnù.
Forelöbig har jeg som sagt taget ùd nogle penne-
tegninger, som jeg sender Dem, og jeg har sat et lidet
III
nùmmer eller tal nederst i hjörnet til venstre paa
hvert af dem.
Nr. 1. "Bukken paa taket" er til Dem, om De bryder
Dem om at have den, – det er min – (kùnstnerisk
seet) – bedste pennetegning, – synes jeg selv, – det er
den eneste pennetegning, som jeg har tegnet directe
efter natùren – uden forùdgaaende stùdiùm eller
ùnderlag med blyant, – den har derfor noget
af den impressionistiske friskhed og lùft som
er saa vanskelig at faa ind i en pennetegning, – (fordi den
som regel altid tegnes to gange – först med blyant og
siden med pen og toùsch); sligt kùnde jeg ikke
klare at gjöre nù – i alle fald ikke uten ùendelig
langvarig "træning"; – der har jeg altsaa naaet
"toppen" – paa dette omraade. Jeg vilde aldrig "sælge"
denne tegning, men hos Dem veed jeg, at den er i
gode hænder, – her hos mig blir saa meget ödelagt,
at jeg vil være glad, om De vil have den.
Nr. 2 "Likdansen", (som jeg ogsaa var tænkt at
"prakke" paa Dem, – den vil De vel synes er et
altfor ùhyggeligt motiv at have paa væggen Deres, –
og De skal da bare sige fra) Det er et gammelt
II
hedensk Jölstermotiv, som kanske kan have sin
kulturhistoriske interesse. Motivet har optaget
mig sterkt, siden jeg engang som gùt oplevede at
se det. Min far tordnede fra prækestolen mod
denne "ùgùdelige" og "hedenske" skik, saa den
forsvandt helt her i bygden. Jeg havde som gut
lùret mig bort paa nabogaarden af nyssgjærrighed, –
just fordi far havde talt om det "hedenske" ved
skikken, og jeg hukser alle dage den ùnderlige "gùfs"
af hedenskab, som jeg da oplevede. – For at hædre
den döde kom man sammen förend "begravelsen"
eller det egentlige "gravöl", – man dansede og drak
medens den döde laa paa "likstraa" (altsaa förend
liket blev lagt i kiste), – og der blev holdt
gilde mere stöiende end i noget bryllup med
hùjing og dans og drikke i et helt dögn. –
I gjennem larmen hörte jeg ofte, at den döde
blev ropt paa navn og "skaalet til", – det virkede
som noget religiöst (mystik) paa mig, – det var næsten
som en hedensk ofring eller lignende, som foregik –
noget som jeg ikke forstod, men som jeg fölte
desto sterkere. Gulvet ristede af danse takten
i "Jölsterspringaren" ("jölstringen"), saa at jeg syntes
IIII
skinbarlig, at liket stùndom trampede takten
med og spændte i sengekarmen med de sorte
födder, som var ifört likströmperne, og som stak
saa ùhyggelig frem ùnder den knappe liksjorte.
Det hele var – trods all "barokk" og ùhygge – dog
noget næsten höitideligt ved, – noget af en gam-
mel uddöd kultùr, – særlig da folket kom ind i stuen
i sine sorte klær og hvide sjortarmer, – kvinderne
havde ogsaa sorte silketörklær paa sine hoder.
Et lys brændte hele tiden i en gammel barok
snoet lysestake ved likets hode, – det var ild
fra en "spik" (lang flis eller fakkel, som brugtes
i gamle dage som belysningsmiddel) – denne
"spik" havde den döde holdt i haanden i döds-
öieblikket, – man var altid nöie med at række
den döende en slik "spik" med ild, i det han
udaandede, og det betragtedes som et sikkert
bevis eller pant paa salighed, hvis den döende
ùnder opbydelsen af alle sine kræfter sidste kræfter
var i stand til krampagtig at holde fast paa den
brændende "spik" indtil dödskampen var over, –
da blev et lys tændt med den samme ild, og det
lys maatte skiftes og ikke slukkes, förend den döde var udbaaren.
Paa disse "likdanser" blev der drùkket mere end almin-
end almindelig; – den döde havde altid selv
brygget öllet i betimelig tid, saa det var af
særlig god kvalitet, – gammelt og godt lagret.
Der blev efterhaanden en barok blanding af alvor
og höitidelighed og lösslùppen lystighed (galgen-
hùmör) og (der blev ofte indgaaet forlovelser paa
slike likdanser). Paa mig gjorde det som sagt
et sterkt indtryk, – höitideligheden – larmen
og felespillet og lyden af stemmer, som gik isam-
men i en dùr med dansen, det dirred og skrek
i vægger og tak i den gamle "röikstove", og det ramled
i bænker og senge, og gùlvet ristede som et laave-
gùlv, naar kornet paa gammeldags vis blev banket
af halmen. Den döde laa i sengen med höit op-
trùkne krùmme knær, saa den hvide liksjorte
hævede sig som en pyramide op mellem de {…}
sorte sortklædde dansende par, – særlig mystiske og uhygge-
lige syntes mig likets sorte födder, med de hvide
taaspidser. Ved sengefoden stod den hvidskùrede
"ölkjæng" (en stor træ-kande som brùgtes til öl), den
osede af öl og frisk einelùgt –, som blandede sig
V
med en snev af liklùgt, der gik over i sterk
brændevins eim, som var rent bedövende, saa at
det virkede befriende, hvergang dansen og larmen
stilnet, og et af de sved dryppende par slog sig
ned ved siden af mig, saa at jeg kjendte, at
ramm svette-os overdöivede alt det andre. –
Dette motiv har ofte kommet frem for mig, og
jeg har forsökt at tegne det flere gange, og jeg
har ogsaa tænkt at male det eller sjære det i
træsnit; – denne lille tegning, som jeg sender Dem
er et af forsökene, og som De vil forstaa, er den jo
af den slags "stùdier", som en maler aldrig sælger,
men hos Dem veed jeg, at den kommer i gode
hænder; – som sagt –, hvis De da bryr Dem om den; –
hos mig er den ùsikker for bevarelse. – Jeg har
ofte tænkt at lave en bok om Jölster, om gamle
skikke og sagn, som jeg har ned noteret en del af,
(meget er imidlertid bortkommet og ödelagt) – jeg
vilde da lavet træsnit til, – enkle og barokke – som
bokens stemning maatte være (et sàgn om "röveren",
som blev skùdt, medens han sat naken og ventede paa,
at konen hans skulde böte hans eneste dragt, – er alt
offentliggjort). – Men jeg har saa mange jern i ilden,
at der ikke blir "noget af noget".
De andre tegninger er for en del stùdier til Björn-
sons "En glad gùt". Nr. 3 selv "Nù er bukken min" – er
udfört i en manèr, som ikke brùges almindelig
nù tildags – virker antik og patineret – jeg har sat
Kr. 50 som pris paa den (paa bagsiden). – Nr. 4 selv er
et forsök i mere maleriske virkninger med pen,
og den gaar da kanske ogsaa maleriet for nær, – der
er med andre ord for liden benyttelse af penne-
teknikkens karakter (texten har jeg ladt hænge
löselig ved, saa den kan bortsjæres), – jeg har sat
Kr. 30 paa den, – det er halvdelen af den pris, som
jeg dengang i de billige tider skulde havt pr. illùstration,
ifald jeg var kommen vel ùd af det med forlaget (forlaget
forlangte, som jeg vist för har nævnt, at jeg skùlde lave
mere "sol og söndag" – og tegne "lyst" som Werenskiold), –
et par forsök i den retning gjorde jeg ogsaa, og et af
disse er Nr. 5 selv – jeg har sat Kr. 40 paa den. –
Nr. 6 x Engel er bare en stùdie efter naturen, – men jeg
synes selv, at jeg har opnaaet lidt mere enkelhed
og monùmentalvirkning i denne detail end i den
samme paa Nr. 4., men da det bare er en detail,
VI
har jeg bare sat Kr. 25 paa den. – Nr. 7 er ogsaa
et forsök i den af forlaget önskede lyse manèr, –
det var ikke efter mit hode at arbeide slig, – og om
jeg end tror, at folk flest kanske vilde like den,
saa vil jeg dog ikke værdsætte den mere en Kr. 25. –
Nr. 8 {…} af næsten samme motiv som foregaaende,
synes jeg selv bedre om, – den har i allefald en viss
teknisk dygtighed; : det jeg delvis har opnaaet (den
tekniske vanskelighed) at lave hvide birkestammer
i et hvidt snelandskab (– til hjælp har jeg da taget
en "risdonge" (veddynge)) – den sterke bevægelse i
gùtten, som hùgger, er ogsaa en vanskelighed, som
jeg synes, jeg har klaret ganske bra, – men penne-
teknikken er kanske lidt ùfri (paa grùnd af det
lille format som alt skulde tegnes i) –; og jeg har
dog trods det lille format faaet en ganske god kom-
position i denne tegning; – prisen har jeg sat til 50 Kr. –
I nr. 9 har jeg dog opnaaet en friere penneteknik
og mere monùmentalvirkning i det samme motiv, –
men folk flest liker den ikke saa godt, – den er
dem for "bredt" tegnet (for grov vil de fleste sige). –
Jeg sætter den derfor bare i 30 kr. (halv pris dengang).
I nr. 10 "Snefald i skogen", har jeg til en viss
grad lykkelig klaret at forbinde den "lyse manèr"
med min egen fölelse, – da den passede til motivet
og stemningen (den indledede et trist kapittel i "En
glad gùt" – jeg har sat 30 kr. (halv pris) paa den ogsaa. –
Nr. 11 er et forsök paa at klare i pen det mystiske lys
fra en "spik" (fakkel) i en dansestùe, – folk var begyndt
at negte ùngdommen hùsrùm til dans en tid, da
alt var synd her i bygden; – og der blev da danset i en
gammel "röikstove", som stod ùbebod, – der fandtes ingen
lampe, og saa blev "spiken" taget i brùk igjen, som
i gamle dage, – saa jeg fik anledning til at se denne
middelalderske – mystiske belysning; – men resùltatet
af mine studier svarede ikke til forventningerne,
– det blev iallefald ikke en "Rembrandt". –
Jeg taxer da denne tegning lavt Kr. 25. –
N. 12 er ogsaa et forsök i lysmystik med pennen,
det er fra en lade med lygtelys, – mystikken er her
kanske mere lykkedes mig at faa frem end i den
forrige tegning, – men der er formeget raderteknik i
den (for lidet penneteknik) jeg sætter ogsaa her lav pris 20 Kr.
VII
Nr. 13 x Eng "Afskeden" er et motiv, som jeg ofte har
tænkt at male, – da kompositionen er god; – det
kan ogsaa kanske have sin interesse, at jeg der
har stùderet en virkelig ægte "fjordhest". (som nù ikke
existerer længere – takket være statens konsùlenter –
et forfalsket exemplar af en fjordhest staar udstoppet
i mùseet til evig skam for norsk dyre avls-klùss.)
(Det var forresten nettop den samme udstoppede hest "Rimfox",
som af staten blev benyttet til at ödelægge hele racen med).
Denne tegning er jo liden, men tildels god, og jeg sætter
den derfor til Kr. 40.
Nr. 14 en studie i pen af en kat med ùnger er jo bare en
lös skisse, og jeg sætter den bare i Kr. 15.
Nr. 15 {…} "Frierikvelden paa fjeldet" er ogsaa fra "En glad
gùt", – som De vil se er næste nr. (16) ogsaa af
samme motiv. Nr. 16 blev nemlig omigjen tegnet
efter nr. 15 for at tilfredsstille forlaget, – og der er jo
ùnegtelig mere "söndagsstemning" over Nr. 16; – men jeg
selv, saavelsom andre kunstnere, som har seet begge
tegninger foretrækker Nr. 15, – den er jo ogsaa er "orginalen",
og som er mere kunstnerisk og malerisk. Jeg har
sat dem begge i en pris af Kr. 40 x {…} pr. stk. –
Nr. 17 x Eng. er en pennetegning fra den gamle præstegaard;
jeg sögte der at naa maaneskins-mystikken
med pen, (det havde jo sikkerlig været lettere med
et andet materiale); – jeg manglede toùsch dengang
og ùdförte derfor tegningen med blæk (noget som jo
dog ikke skulde forringe dens kunstneriske værdi) –
Jeg synes selv, at jeg der har opnaaet noget af den
barndoms fölelse af mystikk, som jeg syntes der
hvilte over dette landskab, – særlig i maaneskin.
Jeg syntes altid, der var en næsten mùsikalsk rythme
over linjerne i dette landskab, – noget næsten trist
maaneskinsagtigt, noget i moll. Det kom vel af,
at dette landskab havde jeg seet paa aar efter aar fra
jeg kùnde huske tilbake. Jeg har ofte tænkt at skjære
det i træsnit; – men motivet er for tendert til
at give noget af sin stemning i den teknik, tror jeg. –
Men der var sikkert rader-teknikken paa sin plads. –
Til höire paa tegningen ser De en del af den ene
flöi i den gamle præstegaard, – den laa delvis
i skyggen fra den anden flöi, hvori jeg stod og
tegnede; (og hvor vi gùtter laa, – naar vi forlod barnekam-
VIII
meret). Den flöi som vises paa tegningen (til höire) er
forresten den samme, hvorfra Deres interieùr er hentet,
det (barnekammeret) laa i loftet, som vendte mod
taket paa det hùs, hvis gavlvæg er halvt dækket
af skyggen fra præstegaardens anden flöi.
De synes kanske jeg forlanget meget, naar jeg sætter
Kr. 75 paa denne tegning; – men jeg forsikrer Dem om,
at det i grùnden er billigt, – likesom de
andre priser ogsaa er det; – og jeg solgte ikke
heller disse ting nù, hvis jeg ikke for tiden var i slige
vanskelige ökonomiske omstændigheder, priserne er
da ogsaa kùn for Dem og andre af Deres venner, som
har kjöbt træsnit eller kùnst af mig för. I fald
De skulle ville beholde alle tegningerne selv, kan jeg
kanske slaa yderligere lidt af til Dem – disse
tegninger skulde jo til sammen blive 535 Kr., og jeg slaar
da af til Dem de 35, saa det blir nöiagtigt Kr. 500
Selvfölgelig kan De da, om De vil overlade til Deres
venner, hvad De finder ikke passer Dem, – der er
jo flere motiver der er næsten lige, – og som De da
rimeligvis ikke vil have begge af – for exempel Nr. 15 og
16.
Hvis jeg nù finder flere pennetegninger, hvad jeg sikkert
gjör, – skal jeg da sende dem ogsaa til Dem?
Der er desværre forsvùndet mange ting, – som jeg savner; –
men noget kunde jo komme frem igjen, – (i en stor
gammel gryte – som mine "gratis-logerende" havde
taget i brùk til söppelkasse, – fandt jeg en hel del
tegninger – ganske ödelagte af rùst og væte).
Og hvis jeg kommer over den for omtalte tegning, – skal
jeg straks sende Dem den, – den har jeg jo lovet Dem
för, hvis den findes – i hel og ubeskadiget tilstand.
Nogle kultegninger, som er næsten i behold, har jeg
ogsaa fùndet, – men den faar jeg se nærmere over
naar jeg faar tid.
Nù har jeg faaet ordnet halvdelen af mit stipen-
diùm slig, at det er indsat paa Bergens privatbank
(ifølge Deres raad) – havde jeg bare havt det der i
Janùar maaned, da pesetaen et öieblik stod i 71 –
nù er den over 100, – der er vel liden ùdsigt til at
IX
den synker nævneværdig i kommende halvaar; – tùrde
jeg bede Dem ifald, den skulde synke ned i omkring
80, da at kjöbe for mig, – jeg sidder jo saa langt
ùndav, at förend jeg kan faa kjöbt, er den steget
igjen, – jeg skal give Madsen ùnderretning om dette i saa
fald. Pesatas stod jo lavt för krigen; – (oficielt var
det jo 72 öre, den stod i dengang, men pesetaèn var
aldrig saa höi som franken – oftest 10 <centimos> lavere)
Jeg havde engang af vanf ùheld faaet pesetas isteden
for franc's i Paris og fik da bare 60 öre for dem,
da jeg kom til Norge; – i Paris fik jeg dem simpelt-
hen ikke vexlet, – de betragtedes simpelthen som falsk
mynt der nede – nù er selvfölgelig forholdet omvendt.
Franc' staar jo ogsaa höit nù, – men den er, kan det
hænde, haab om gaar ned, – og da var det kanske fornùftig
at lade spanien reisen eller "de Canariske" fare
og brùge stipendiet i Paris, – der gaar jo saa
mange sjönne drömme i vasken.
Kjender De hr. Madsen i privatbanken? Jeg har
ventet paa en meddelelse eller et lidet "bevis" fra
ham eller banken, – saa jeg havde noget fremvise,
som en slags "legimitation", naar jeg vilde have
pengene i banken; – altsaa noget lignende som en
bankbok eller en bankanvisning. Men kanske det er
godt nok, at jeg skriver og requirerer de opgivne
terminer eller portioner, naar jeg har brug for dem?
Jeg har quiteret – efter opfordring fra stipendiebesty-
relsen for Kr. 4.500,00 – og (som modtagne), og da
ventede jeg jo en slags bok eller anvisning fra banken
ogsaa. Jeg tillader mig at vedlægge en lap, som sti-
pendiebestyrelsen her modtaget fra banken, saa De
deraf vil se, hvordan saken staar – og kanske kan give
mig et raad; – men denne lap maa jeg bede Dem op-
bevare eller sende mig igjen, – da den jo i nödsfald kan
gjælde som et bevis.
Træsnittet St. Hansbaalet, – som De ber om, skal snart
være færdigt, – vilde gjerne gjöre mig ùmak dermed,
naar det var til Dem. Jeg solgte et af det i Kristiania
for 400, men af Dem vil jeg ikke forlange mere end
200. – Jeg sender da samtidig 2 tryk i sort og
hvidt af "soleinatten" og "Sandalstrand" (pris 100 Kr. pr. stk.),
om nogen af Deres venner vilde have dem. Ja ùndskyld mit
rabl. Lev vel! Hils familien hjærteligst fra Deres hengivne
Translation
Dear Mr. Meyer!
Thank you for Your kind letter – and many thanks for all
Your kindness towards me in Bergen this spring, – it is
utterly disgraceful, that I have not written to You
sooner, – but there has been so much illness here after my return
home; – my wife and my children were ill and I
myself had such a severe cold, that I thought it would develop into
pneumonia; – and then we were anxiously waiting
for my wife to give birth, which was delayed far past the due date.
We were especially anxious for her, because she was so poor-
ly after her fall from the loft this winter; – the phlebitis
continued to spread; – but everything went well
after all, and she had a daughter, – (which was as it should
be in order to keep up the sequence boy – girl
boy – girl etc.) Incidentally it’s about time to stop,
since we have 5 children now. –
The picture that You speak about, I had worked on this spring,
and took it out again now and shall try to finish it
as soon as possible. "Farm(yard) in a Ravine" I shall call it (one
might perhaps call it "Farm(yard) in a Gorge" elsewhere). I cannot remember whether
we spoke about the price (perhaps I promised it to Your wife
for a specific price – was it 800? – In that case
I stand by it for You (for Engelsen, Eie and Neùmann as well)
Unfortunately, – the pen drawing, which I promised You I
cannot find, – I am embarrassed by this, – but nevertheless
still hope to find it. On the other hand I have found
several other pen drawings, – and I also found
an etching, – the only one I ever completed, –
that is to say the only one, from which a trial impression has been
taken. Headmaster Nordhagen, at the Royal College of
Design, was so enthusiastic about my art, and wanted absolutely
for me to work with etchings – despite my saying, that I was
averse to the medium, which did not come easily to me, – but
he insisted, – I had to make an attempt on a
little copper plate, – he said, that I should try to
recall one or another of my motifs, and I remembered
in passing a little spring motif from a knoll, where
two old women lived, and were in the process of planting potatoes, –
I felt there was a mystical feeling about the motif; – but
I was so disappointed in the result, when I saw the
"trial proof", that I discarded the plate; – I retouched
the trial impression a little with a pen, – as I planned to create
the etching over again on a larger copper plate, – but
nothing ever came of it, – I had had
my fill of the etching medium, and I believe this attempt will
be both my first and last. Since this etching is also
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the only print that was pulled from that plate,
it is in fact "one-of-a-kind" in 2 respects,
and as such, I imagined, that You might perhaps
be interested in having it, and I therefore send
it as a small thanks for Your kindness towards
me on various occasions, – likewise may I
perhaps ask You to accept 2 pen drawings, which I
will discuss in more detail later (No. 1 and No. 2)
Of course You shall also have the previously mentioned pen
drawing, which occasioned my being "hired" by the publisher – if I find
it.
Thank You for talking to Neumann for me –
I shall write to him, – I owe his firm
64 kroner, but I am quite broke. Can You apologize to him
for me in the meantime.
I have already mentioned again and again that I have been at Mykle-
bùst and searched through all the thousands of draw-
ings, studies and notes, that I have there, but it has
been impossible for me to find the drawing, which I promised
You; – I have not yet given up all hope of finding
it; – but all of my things are in a sad
state over there, – I have been ill for several years and there-
fore not able to look through my things. I have twice
allowed people to live for free in my cabins over there, and the result
is that all my drawings and studies, (in addition to books on
art and reproductions), which were packed in numerous
crates, so there was a certain amount of order after all, –
they are now emptied out onto the floor in a big heap in
the attic, – much of it has been trampled and torn to pieces, –
most likely one of the families, that was allowed to stay there
lacked wood and have emptied the crates and chopped
them up as firewood, – or they needed the
crates, when they were moving. I thus
as mentioned find many of my works completely ruined
(trampled on with dirty feet, and soiled
by tobacco spit, – in fact they played cards up
in the attic, and they tramped about on my drawings)
It is not exactly pleasant work to sort through
it again, and I have been in a bad mood, every
time I have been over there, – however I found
some drawings in a little crate, which were some-
what well preserved, – I always find something, when I am
over there, and I am certain to find still more.
So far I have as mentioned taken out a few pen
drawings, which I will send You, and I have placed a little
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number or numeral in the bottom left corner on
each of them.
No. 1. "The Goat on the roof" is for You, if You would
like to have it, – it is – (artistically
speaking) – my best pen drawing, – in my opinion, – it is
the only pen drawing that I have drawn directly
from nature – without a preparatory study or
underdrawing with pencil, – it therefore has something
of the impressionistic freshness and atmosphere that
is so difficult to introduce into a pen drawing, – (because it
as a rule is always drawn twice – first in pencil and
then with pen and ink); I would not be able to do anything
like it now – at least not without infinitely
lengthy "training"; – Here I have in fact achieved
"my peak" – in this area. I would never "sell"
this drawing, but with You I know, that it is in
good hands, – here in my home so much gets ruined
that I would be happy if You would have it.
No. 2 "The Corpse’s dance", (which I have also thought of
"imposing" on You, – You will perhaps find it a
much too macabre motif to have on Your wall, –
and You only have to say so) It is an old
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heathen Jölster motif, which may perhaps be of
cultural heritage interest. The motif has interested
me greatly, since I once as a boy experienced
it with my own eyes. My father ranted from the pulpit against
this "ungodly" and "heathen" custom, so it
disappeared completely from the village here. As a boy I once
sneaked over to the neighbouring farm out of curiosity, –
precisely because father had talked about the "heathen" aspect
of the custom, and remember daily the peculiar "gust"
of paganism, that I experienced. – To honour
the deceased one gathered together before the "funeral"
or the actual "funeral feast", – one danced and drank
while the deceased "lay in state" (that is before
the corpse was laid in the coffin), – and there was a
feast more rowdy than any wedding with
whooping and dancing and drinking for 24 hours on end. –
Through the din I repeatedly heard the deceased
being addressed by his name and "toasted", – it felt
like a religious (mystical) rite to me, – it was almost
as though a pagan sacrifice or such, was being enacted –
something I did not understand, but which I felt
all the more acutely. The floor shook from the beat of the dance
"The Jölster Springar" ("jölstringen"), so that I thought
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I clearly saw the corpse stamp to the beat
too and kick the bed frame with its black
feet, which were covered in cadaver stockings, and stuck
grotesquely out from under the short shroud.
Despite all the "baroqueness" and ghoulishness – there was something
almost solemn about the whole thing, – something from an
old extinct culture, – in particular when people entered the sitting
room in their black attire and white shirtsleeves, – the women
also had black silk scarves on their heads.
A candle burned the whole time in an old baroque
spiral candlestick by the corpse’s head, – it was fire
from a "splinter" (a long wooden chip or torch, which was
used in the old days as illumination) – this
"splinter" was held close to the deceased at the
moment of death, – one always made sure to hand
the dying person a lit "splinter" of this kind, as he
expired, and it was considered certain
proof or guarantee of salvation, if the dying person
by mobilising of all his strength final strength
was able to convulsively hold on to the
burning "splinter" until the death throes were over, –
then a candle was lit with the same flame, and that
candle had to be replaced and not extinguished, until the deceased was carried out.
At these "corpse dances" the liquor flowed more than was cust
than was customary; – the deceased had always
brewed the beer in good time, so that it was of
very good quality, – old and well aged.
After a while there was a baroque mixture of solemnity
and ceremony and unrestrained gaiety (gallows
humour) and (engagements were often arranged at
such corpse dances). As I said it made a
great impression on me, – the ceremony – the din and
the fiddle music and the hum of voices, which joined to-
gether into a roar with the dance, the walls quivered from
the shouting in the old "smokehouse", and
benches and bed tumbled, and the floor shook like the floor
of a barn, when the grain was beaten out of the straw
in the old manner. The deceased lay in the bed with bent
knees drawn high up, so that the white shroud
rose like a pyramid between the {…}
black dancing couples dressed in black, – I thought the black feet of
the corpse, with the white toes particularly mystifying
and ghoulish. At the end of the bed was the scoured
"ölkjæng" (a large wooden vessel which was used for beer), it
reeked of beer and fresh juniper –, which combined
V
with a hint of the smell of the corpse, transmuted into a strong
scent of liquor, which was quite anaesthetising, so as
to be liberating, every time the dance and din
subsided, and one of the sweat-dripping couples sat
down next to me, so that I could smell,
the rank stench of sweat overpowered everything else. –
This motif has often come to my mind, and
I have attempted to draw it several times, and I
have also thought about painting it or carving a
woodcut of it; – the little drawing, which I am sending You
is one of the attempts, and as You will understand, it is
among the type of "studies", that a painter never sells,
but with You I know, that it is in good
hands; – as said –, if You are interested in it; –
with me its preservation is less sure. – I have
often thought of making a book about Jölster, about old
customs and myths, some of which I have noted down,
(much has been lost and destroyed already) – I
would then make woodcuts for it, – either simple or baroque – according
to the book’s mood (a legend about "the robber",
who was shot, while he sat naked waiting for
his wife to repair his only garment, – has already
been publicised). – But I have so many irons in the fire,
that "nothing comes of anything".
The other drawings are a few studies for Björn-
son’s "A Happy Boy". No. 3 "Now the goat belongs to me" – is
executed in a manner, that is not commonly
used nowadays – appears antique and with a patina – I have set
a price of 50 kroner on it (on the reverse side). – No. 4 is
an attempt at more painterly effects with pen,
and perhaps it is too close to painting, – in
other words it makes too little use of the pen
technique’s character (the text I have left hanging
loosely to it, so that it can be cut away), – I have set a price of 30
kroner on it, – that is half the price, that
I demanded per illustration back then in the days of low prices,
in the event that I would come to an agreement with the publisher (the publisher
demanded, as I have already mentioned, that I should create
more of a sense of "sun and Sunday mood"– and draw "brightly" like Werenskiold), –
I did in fact make a few attempts in that respect, and one of
these is No. 5 – I have priced it at 40 kroner on it. –
No. 6 x Engel is merely a study from nature, – but I
myself think, that I have achieved a little more simplicity
and a monumental effect in this detail than in the
same in No. 4., but since it is only a detail,
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I have only priced it at 25 kroner. – No. 7 is also
an attempt at the bright manner desired by the publisher, –
it was not my idea to work in this way, – and though
I believe, that most people might perhaps like it,
I will nevertheless not value it at more than 25 kroner. –
No. 8 of nearly the same motif as the foregoing one,
I prefer myself, – it has in any case a certain
technical accomplishment; : what I have partially achieved (the
technical difficulty) is to create white birch trunks
in a white snow-clad landscape (– to assist me I have included
a "thicket" (a lot of twigs)) – the strong sense of movement in
the boy, who is chopping, is also a difficulty, which
I feel I have managed quite well, – but the pen
technique is perhaps a little constrained (due to the
small format that everything had to be drawn within) –; and I have
despite the small format achieved a rather good com-
position in this drawing; – I have set the price at 50 kroner –
In no. 9 I have in fact achieved a freer pen technique
and a more monumental effect in the same motif, –
but most people do not like it much, – it is
too "broadly" drawn for them (too coarsely most would say). –
I therefore set the price at only 30 kroner (half price back then).
In no. 10 "Snowfall in the woods", I have managed
somewhat favourably to combine the "bright manner"
with my own sensibility, – as it suited the motif
and mood (it introduced a sad chapter in "A
Happy boy" – I have set 30 kroner (half price) on it as well. –
No. 11 is an attempt to achieve in pen the mysterious light
from a "splinter" (torch) in a dance parlour, – people had begun
to deny young people the space to dance in for while, when
everything was a sin here in the village; – so the dances took place in an
old "washhouse", which was uninhabited, – there was no
lamp, so the use of the "splinter" was revived again, as
in the old days, – so I had the opportunity to see this
medieval – mystical lighting; – but the result
of my studies did not satisfy my expectations,
– in any case it was not a "Rembrandt". –
I therefore set a low price on this drawing – 25 kroner. –
No. 12 is also an attempt [to depict] mysterious light with pen,
it is from a barn with lanterns, – the mysticism here
I have possibly succeeded in depicting better than in the
previous drawing, – but there is an excess of etching technique in
it (too little pen technique) I set a low price here too – 20 kroner
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No. 13 x "The Farewell" is a motif, that I have often
thought of painting, – the composition is good; – it
might also perhaps be of interest, that I
studied a genuine "Fjord horse" for it. (which no
longer exists – thanks to the government advisors –
a falsified stuffed example of a Fjord horse remains
in the museum as an everlasting disgraceful example of tampering with
Norwegian animal breeding.)
(It was incidentally this same stuffed horse "Rimfox",
the government used to destroy the entire race with).
This drawing is small, but fairly good, and I therefore
set [the price] at 40 kroner.
No. 14 a study in pen of a cat with kittens is only a
loose sketch, and I set the price at only 15 kroner.
No. 15 {…} "Courting night in the mountains" is also from "A Happy
Boy", – as You will see the next one no. (16) is also of
the same motif. No. 16 was drawn over again
based on no. 15 to satisfy the publisher, – and there is
undeniably more of a "Sunday mood" in No. 16; – but I
myself, as well as other artists who have seen both
drawings prefer No. 15, – it is in fact is "the original",
and which is more artistic and painterly. I have
set a price of 40 kroner x {…} on both apiece –
No. 17 is a pen drawing of the old vicarage;
There I attempted to render the moonlight mysticism
in pen, (it would have certainly been easier in
a different medium); – I did not have any Indian ink then
and therefore executed the drawing with regular ink (which
nevertheless should not detract from its artistic value) –
I myself believe, that I have achieved something of the
feeling of mystery from childhood, which I felt
infused this landscape, – especially in moonlight.
I always felt there was an almost musical rhythm
in the lines of this landscape, – something almost melancholic
associated with moonlight, something in a minor scale. It is perhaps because
I had seen this landscape year after year from as
far back as I could remember. I have often thought of carving
it in a woodcut – but the motif is too frail to be able to
depict something of its atmosphere in that technique, I think. –
But there the etching technique would surely have served well. –
On the right in the drawing You can see part of one
of the wings of the old vicarage, – it stood partly
in the shadow of the other wing, where I stood
drawing; (and where we boys slept, – when we outgrew the nur-
VIII
sery). The wing that is visible in the drawing (on the right) is
incidentally the same, from which Your interior is taken,
it (the nursery) was in the attic, which faced the
roof on the building, whose gable wall is half-covered
by the shadow cast by the vicarage’s second wing.
You may think that I demand too much, when I set
a price of 75 kroner on this drawing; – but I can assure You,
that it is basically cheap, – just as the
other prices are; – and I would not sell
these things now, had I not been in such
difficult financial circumstances, the prices are
in addition only for You and other friends of Yours, who
have previously purchased woodcuts or art from me. In the event that
You might wish to keep all of the drawings Yourself, I can
perhaps cut the price a little more for You – these
drawings should together come to 535 kroner, and for You
I can cut the 35, so that it is exactly 500 kroner
You can of course, if You wish entrust to Your
friends, what You find does not suit You, – there are
indeed several motifs that are almost alike, – and which You
with good reason might not wish to have two of – for instance No. 15 and
16.
If I now find more pen drawings, which I certainly
will, – shall I send them to You as well?
Many things have disappeared unfortunately, – which I miss; –
but something might reappear, – (in a large
old cauldron – which my "free-loading lodgers" had
begun to use as a rubbish bin, – I found a whole bunch
of drawings – quite ruined by rust and moisture)
And if I find the mentioned drawing, – I
will send it to You immediately, – I have promised it to You
before, if it exists – in an intact and undamaged state.
I have also found some charcoal drawings, which are
almost intact, – but I will have a closer look at them
when I have the time.
I have now arranged for half of my
grant, to be deposited in Bergen’s private bank
(as per Your advice) – if only I had had it there in
the month of January, when the peseta stood briefly at 71 –
now it is over 100, – there is probably little chance that
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it will sink appreciably in the coming 6 months; – dare
I ask You in case it should sink to around
80, to then buy for me, – for I live so far
away, that before I can manage to buy, it will have risen
again, – I shall give Madsen instructions
about this. The exchange rate of pesetas was low before the war; – (officially
it was actually at 72 öre [centesimal subdivision for Norwegian krones] back then, but the peseta was
never as high as the franc – most often 10 <centimes> lower)
I had once by mist accident received pesetas instead
of francs in Paris and thus got only 60 öre for them,
when I returned to Norway; – in Paris I simply could not
exchange them, – they were only considered as false
coins down there – now of course the ratio is reversed.
The exchange rate of the franc is also high now, – but there is hope, it’s
possible, that it will sink, – and then it might perhaps be sensible
to give up the trip to Spain or "the Canaries"
and use the grant in Paris, – so many
lovely dreams go down the drain.
Do You know Mr. Madsen in the private bank? I have
been waiting for a message or a small "sign" from
him or the bank, – so that I have something to show,
as a form of "credential", when I wish to withdraw
money from the bank; – in other words something like a
bank book or a bank or banker’s draft. But perhaps it is
sufficient, that I write and requisition the given
periods or instalments, when I have use for them?
I have signed – upon the request of the grant com-
mittee for 4,500.00 kroner – and (as received), and I
thus expected some kind of book or directive from the bank
as well. I permit myself to enclose a note, that the
grant committee has received from the bank, so that You
can see, where the matter stands – and perhaps give
me some advice; – but I must ask You to preserve this
note or return it to me, – as in an emergency it might
serve as verification.
The woodcut of Midsummer Eve Bonfire, – which You ask about, will soon
be completed, – [I] wanted very much to make my best effort,
as it was for You. I sold one of it in Kristiania
for 400, but from You I will not demand more than
200. – I will send at the same time 2 prints in black and
white of "marigold night" and "Sandalstrand" (price 100 kroner apiece),
in case any of Your friends would like to have them. Well forgive my
scribbles. Be well! Warmest greetings to Your family from Your devoted