Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Meyer, Hans Jacob
1921-08

Transcription:

Tor Martin Leknes

Translation:

Francesca Nichols

Page

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Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Meyer, Hans Jacob
1921-08
Brevs.295-66540, Nasjonalbiblioteket

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

jeg ved dette til Dem (ogsaa til Engelsen, Eie og Neùmann)

                               II

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

Nikolai Astrup

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

                               II

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

                            III

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

                                              II

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

                        IIII

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,

                             VI

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

                                  VII

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

                                   IX

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

Nikolai Astrup