Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Meyer, Hans Jacob
1927-03-15

Transcription:

Tor Martin Leknes

Translation:

Francesca Nichols

Page

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Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Meyer, Hans Jacob
1927-03-15
Brevs.295-66549, Nasjonalbiblioteket

13 Pages

Transcription: Tor Martin Leknes

Translation: Francesca Nichols

Transcription

Kjære Hr. Meyer!

Hvor snildt det er af Dem at skrive

til mig igjen, – trods jeg har forsömt baade

at gjengjælde hilsener, brev og endog for-

sömt at takke for Deres genereùse jùlegave

til mine börn. Tùsend tak for alt dette!

De er jo saa altfor snild mod mig.

De er (med ùndtagelse af konsùl J. Grieg og

Dr. Kreyberg), den eneste kùnst mæcenat, –

jeg har trùffet, – som har kùnnet vise en

– ofte ùventet – forstaaelse af en kùnstners

– ofte barokke – naturell. De har behand-

let mig hensynsfùldt – i höiere grad, end

jeg paa nogen maade kùnde vente – eller

fortjente.

   Jeg har nok tænkt mange gange paa

at svare Dem, – og naar det ikke har blevet

2

noget af det hidtil, – saa har det – (for

at være ærlig) – sin egen særlige aarsak

i dette: – Deres spörgsmaal om "Rævebjölle-

træsnittet". –

       Jeg har nemlig forbandet mig paa det

gang paa gang, – og lovet mig selv: at dette

tryk (som jeg da har arbeidet paa) skal blive

"det absolut sidste tryk" af disse elendige

plater, som har "kastet sig" – og forandret sig

i alle mùlige retninger, – saa at de har

skaffet mig et slid og arbeide, – som ikke

staar i noget-somhelst forhold til det

"kunstneriske" resùltat af et tryk. Og jeg har alt

havt "moralsk" mod til at sige "nei" til et

par "bestillere". Först satte jeg prisen op – for at

slippe flere bestillinger, (jeg solgte det jo fra

först af (1915) for Kr. 600), men fik alligevel

bestillinger. – (En af dem, som kjöbte det

dengang er bùden 1000 kr. igjen for sit tryk, men

                          3

vil ikke sælge). Saa satte jeg prisen op i

800 kr., – men fik alligevel bestillinger; – (af

disse har jeg dog kùn ùdfört to – nemlig

et til dr. Kreyberg, – der som "gammel kùnde"

næsten havde "fordring" paa mig – til at skaffe

et sligt tryk). Jeg har i dette træsnit som

i alle mine andre stadig sökt at lave

"variationer"; – det vilde jo blive alt for

kjedeligt og ùkùnstnerisk, om man skùlde

lave alle tryk like; – naar en maler har

seet et motiv i mange stemninger, – saa

finder han aldrig paa at "lave" to billeder

fuldstændig like af samme motiv, – deri-

mod har de fleste kùnstnere stor interesse

af at variere et motiv efter de forskjellige

indtryk, som (han de) har havt; – (han de) lærer – og

udvikles af det. Anderledes er det med

den "grafiske" kùnst; – med ùndtagelse af

Mùnck, – der like som jeg – "varierer", – saa

                             4

lader de fleste maskinen besörge "mang-

foldig-gjorelsen", og da blir jo alle tryk

saa godt som "like". Variationerne af mit

Rævebjölle-træsnit kan jeg for enkelheds

skyld dele i to hovedgrùpper (det er jo

og let at gjöre, da der bare har været trykt 6 – seks

stykker; – deraf gik det ene (prövetrykket) i Bergensbran-

den). – (Disse 6 tryk representerer et aars arbeide)

Disse to grùpper kan jeg nærmest karakteri-

sere som: et lyst, lett, med ùdpræget træ-

snit-teknik – og kanske lidt tyndt og "spædt"

i stemningen, – det andet mere tungt, dypere

i farven, mere likt maleriet (i Nationalgalle-

riet). Ja denne beskrivelse er jo meget ùfùldstæn-

dig. Den sidste af disse to slags tryk har Dr.

Kreyberg og samleren Maschmann – Oslo. Den förste

slags tryk har Kramer, som fik det förste fær-

dige tryk – efter at alle plater var færdig skaarne.

Jeg nævnte, at jeg kùn havde trykt 2 tryk, siden

                                   5

jeg satte prisen op til 800. Det ene af disse var

altsaa, som nævnt, til Dr. Kreyberg, og det

andet var til Dr. Schmit – Nestun (?); – dette

sidste tryk var af den förste slags tryk, – altsaa af

den "lyse grùppe", – (lignende Kramers tryk).

Hvilken af Disse tryk, De har seet, – og hvil-

ket der er bedst, kan jeg ikke vide eller selv 

afgjöre. Kramer paastaar, at Dr. Kreyberg's er

bedst. Jeg har ofte tænkt at finde – eller

forsöke – en forbindelse af begge slags, – slik

at jeg valgte ud det, jeg fandt bedst i begge

slags stemninger; – men, det tùnge – mere male-

ri lignende – vil da faa hovedvegten paa sin

side; – thi det gaar ikke an at "blande" to stem-

ninger, – uten at en af dem faar overvegten –

(alt maa jo, – selv om det er en overgang fra en til

en anden stemning, – dog indordnes ùnder den ene

hovedstemning). Ja dette höres jo nærmest ud

som noget slùdder – vil De vel sige, – og jeg ind-

römmer, at jeg udtrykker mig daarligt. –

                           6

Jeg havde nù mest lyst til at brænde op

disse platerne til "Rævebjöller"; – de har skaf-

fet mig saa mange ærgrelser, – de har nemlig

i tidens löb forandret sig: – nogen har "videt 

sig ùd" – andre har "krympet", – saa-at en tryk-

ning af dem blir en stadig "flyttning" af

papiret, – endog paa samme plate, – for at

faa de usleste detailler til at passe sammen

fra den ene plate til den anden, – saa jeg ofte

er rent fortvivlet, – og gang paa gang gaar

en tryk rent "i vasken"; – (og en à to ùkers

arbeide er da gjerne spildt), – fordi jeg har

glemt en liden flyttning af en plate, – en flytt-

ning, som var höist paakrævet paa grùnd för-

nævnte "ùdvidelse" eller "krympning". Papiret

har ogsaa en en viss tilböielighed til ùdvidelse

ùnder en saa langvarig – og delvis "haard" – trykning

paa hver eneste ⸋ millimeter, – og det vil da blive

for stort – for ùdvidet til at passe til de sidste

                                  7

plater, (som da altsaa blir for smaa). –

Den stadige törring af trykket mellem de for-

skjellige plater og trykninger – tager jo ogsaa

megen tid, – jeg brùker jo nemlig oljefarver, –

medens de fleste andre kùnstnere helst brùker

vandoplöselige farver, – der jo er lidt lettere at

trykke med, – men jeg gaar ùd fra, at naar jeg

"slider" saa meget med mine tryk, som jeg gjör,

saa vil jeg ogsaa gjerne have et solid materiale

at arbeide med, saa at mine tryk om for-

nödent kan taale en vask, – om stöv o.lign. i

tidens löb skulde sætte sig paa dem; og (en "vask") dette er jo

helt udelukket, naar man brùker gelatin- lim-

eller klister-farver – (som er det almindelige). –

De forstaar af alle disse jeremiader, som

jeg nù har plaget Dem med, – at jeg svært

nödig trykker dette træsnit, – men De kan

jo indvende, at De ogsaa er "gammel kùnde"

ja endog ældre "kùnde" – end et par af dem,

                             8

som jeg alt har leveret dette træsnit til.

Og med tanke paa dette, gik jeg igang

med et tryk straks efter, at jeg havde

faaet Deres förste brev derom, – men jeg

har maattet lægge det tilside – paa grùnd

af denne "malerskolen" her i Förde; – den op-

tager jo næsten all min tid, – men vil De

have den taalmodighed med mig, som De

saa ofte har vist, – saa skal jeg forsöke,

om jeg endnù en gang kan faa noget ùd af

disse platerne; men send mig et par ord

om, hvilket tryk De har seet af dette træsnit;

det kunde være en liden "pekepind" for mig, – selv

om jeg, som nævnt, aldrig liker at lave to tryk

akkurat like; – (man maa jo altid gjöre et

forsök paa "fremgang"; – men om det blir bedre end

noget tidligere – er jo en anden sak). –

Kort sagt, – jeg har nù atter taget fat paa dette

træsnit og vil forsöke at lave Dem et tryk af

9

"Rævebjöller"; – og som en af mine bedste

og ældste "kùnder", – skal De ikke betale mer

end 600 kr. (den oprindelige pris), – men lad

ingen andre – end Kramer – vide dette! –

Men De vil kanske finde – ogsaa dette – mer

end dyrt nok, – jeg synes næsten selv det samme,

– men et par maaneders tid gaar næsten med,

– selv om intet "gaar feil". I det tryk, jeg er

begyndt paa er der endnù intet trykt feil,

men der gjenstaar saa meget, – og enkelte ting

maa trykkes op igjen, da jeg har været for meget

forsigtig og har trykt med for svak farve, –

man blir jo nervörs at erindre tidligere

"kalamiteter". Ja, dette tryk, maa altsaa

betragtes som et forsök! Gaar det galt, – ja

saa maa De atter ùndskylde mig, – – og vente

til næste höst eller vinter; – thi jeg orker ikke

at tage fat paa et nyt nù straks igjen, hvis dette

                         10

nù skùlde mislykkes. Med denne reservati-

on – haaber jeg, De ikke blir sint paa mig.

Og skùlde det hænde, at De blev mis-

fornöiet med denne tryk, saa skal jeg love

at gaa igang med en ny til hösten eller vin-

teren, – jeg skal ikke give mig over, förend

De har faaet en tryk, som De er fornöiet

med; – De skal altsaa bare "sige fra om De ikke liker den altsaa", – jeg

blir ikke det mindste fornærmet over det;

Angaaende pennetegninger og exlibris (som jeg

nù har en helt bùnke skisser af), saa skal jeg

faa lov at komme tilbake til dette senere.

Jeg har ligget syk et par dage her i Förde hos

Dr. Bydal – og er saa vidt oppe igjen og maa

indhente det forsömte paa skolen, saa De maa

undskylde skrift og stil, som fölge af min

nervösitet og rastlöshed, – jeg eier jo ikke rigtig

min tid selv nù, da jeg skal "agere" skolemester. 

                             11

Skolen gaar bra, – vi har en ùdmærket og

vakker model – 16-17 aar gl., – som vi har

faaet fra det ene af de to akademier i Oslo.

Og saa har jeg tre-fire meget begavede elever,

som skaffer mig glæde, – – og 7-8, som

nærmest er til at fortvivle over, – og det er

jo disse man desværre maa spendere mest

tid paa; – jeg gik med paa dette "foretagende"

med "malerskole" – i haab om selv at faa an-

ledning at stùdere lidt "akt"; – men det blev lögn;

tiden strækker ikke til, – og det er ùmùlig selv

at arbeide og stùdere ùnder den stadige forstyrrel-

se, som det skaper – at maatte se paa andres

arbeide og stadig sætte sig ind i andres syn paa

tingene. Da er det lettere at "trykke" lidt i mel-

lemstùndene; – (man er saa passelig sint til at

være energisk). Men alle eleverne er meget 

fattige, saa det blir jùst ikke noget lùkrativt

foretagende: – paa to maaneder snart – har jeg kùn

havt ca. 20 kr. pr. elev – og de fattigste har

12

jeg tænkt at betale disse penge igjen, naar

skolen slutter; (medens skolen varer, vil De

lett föle det som en fornærmelse, – og det

kan have indflydelse paa stùdiet). –

Man maa jo ogsaa gjöre noget for sine brödre

i kùnsten; – og det koster dem nok – allige-

vel – med modelpenge, ophold, farve- og tegne-

materialer osv. – Kùnde jeg bare til gjen-

gjæld give dem nogen lærdom og raad, som

var hjælp i! – Jeg har ofte samvittighedsnag over

ikke at kùnne evne nok i den retning. –

         

Angaaende billederne til Erpecom, – vilde jeg

gjerne faa vide lidt om motivvalg e.t.c. –

De kjender kanske hans smag? Ja, mere der-

om senere. Lev da vel! – og hils Deres

frùe med hjærteligste tak fra mig og familie

Hils Deres sönner, om De er hjemme!

Bedste hilsen Deres

Nikolai Astrup

Adr. Dr. Bydal

Förde Sfj.

Konvolutt, framside:

Til

Hr. Capt. H. J. Meyer

   Vetrlids-almenning 27

Bergen

Translation

Dear Mr. Meyer!

How kind of You to write

to me again, – despite my having neglected both

to return your greetings and letters and even neglec-

ted to thank You for Your generous Christmas gift

to my children. Many thanks for all this!

You are much too kind to me.

You are (with the exception of consul J. Grieg and

Dr. Kreyberg), the only art patron, –

I have met, – who has been able to show an

– often unexpected – understanding of an artist’s

– often baroque – nature. You have treat-

ed me with consideration – to a greater degree, than

I might in any way expect – or

deserve.

   I have thought many times to

answer You, – and the reason nothing has come

2

of it until now, – has – (to 

be honest) – to do with

this: – Your request regarding the "Foxglove

woodcut". –

       I have cursed 

again and again, – and promised myself: this

print (which I worked on then) shall be

"the absolute last print" from these wretched

blocks that have become "warped" – and distorted

in every possible direction, – so that it has

become a drudgery and a labour, – which does not

 in any way correlate with the

"artistic" outcome of a print. And I have even

had the "moral" courage to say "no" to a

couple of "buyers". First I raised the price – in order to

avoid additional commissions, (I sold it from the

start (1915) for 600 kroner), but nonetheless received

commissions. – (One of them, who purchased it

back then has been offered 1,000 kroner for his print, but

                          3

will not sell it). Then I raised the price to

800 kroner, – but received commissions anyway; – (of

these I have nevertheless only executed two – i.e.

one for dr. Kreyberg, – who as an "old client"

nearly had "claims" on me – to obtain

such a print). I have with this woodcut as

with all my others continuously strived to create

"variations"; – for it would be too

boring and artistically unsatisfactory, if one were to

make all the prints alike; – when a painter has

seen a motif in many atmospheres, – he

would never resort to "making" two pictures

of the same motif completely alike, – on the other

hand most artists have a great interest

in varying a motif based on the different

impressions, which (he they) have had; – (he they) learn – and

develop through this. It is different with

"graphic" art; – with the exception of

Mùnck, – who like myself – "varies", – while

                             4

almost everyone else allows the machine to provide for the "dupli-

cations", and then all the prints are

as good as "the same". The variations of my

Foxglove woodcut I can for the sake of

simplicity divide into two main groups (and it is

easy to do, as there have only been printed 6 – six

of them; – of which one (the artist’s proof) was lost in the Bergen

fire). – (These 6 prints represent one year’s work)

These two groups I can almost charac-

terise as: luminous, light, with a distinctive wood-

cut technique – and perhaps with a slightly thin and "faint"

atmosphere, – the other with a heavier, deeper

palette, more like the painting (in the National gal-

lery). Well this description is of course very incom-

plete. The last of these two types of prints are in the possession of 

Dr. Kreyberg and the collector Maschmann – Oslo. The first

type of print is in the possession of Kramer, who received the first com-

pleted print – after the carving of all the blocks was completed.

I mentioned that I had only pulled two prints from it, from the time

                                   5

I raised the price to 800. One of these

went, as mentioned, to Dr. Kreyberg, and the

other was for Dr. Schmit – Nestun (?); – this

last print was of the first type of print, – that is of

the "luminous group", – (similar to Kramer’s print).

Which of these prints, You have seen, – and which

of them is best, I cannot know or determine 

myself. Kramer claims, that Dr. Kreyberg’s is

best. I have often thought of finding – or

attempting – a combination of both types, – by

choosing what I found best in both

types of atmospheres; – yet, the heavy one – more similar

to painting – would then have the advantage on its

side; – for it is not possible to "mix" two atmos-

pheres, – without one of them dominating the other –

(everything must, – even if there is a transition from one to

another atmosphere, – nevertheless conform to one of the

major atmospheres). Well this almost sounds

like nonsense – You will perhaps say, – and I ad-

mit, that I express myself poorly. –

                           6

I wanted more than anything to burn 

these blocks for "Foxgloves"; – they have cau-

sed me so much exasperation, – they have with

the passing of time been disfigured; – some have "ex- 

panded" – others have "shrunk", – so a print-

ing of them requires constant "adjusting" of

the paper, – even on the same block, – in order to

get the most inane details to fit together

from one block to another, – so that I am often

in utter despair, – and over and over again a

print ends up "down the drain"; – (and one or two weeks’

work is then wasted), – because I have

forgotten a little adjustment of a block, – an adjust-

ment, which was very necessary because of the afore-

mentioned "expansion" or "shrinking". The paper

also has a tendency to expand somewhat

during such a lengthy and somewhat "harsh" printing

on every single ⸋ millimetre, – and will thus be 

too large – too expanded to fit the last

                                  7

blocks, (which are then too small). –

The continuous drying of the print between the var-

ious blocks and printings – also takes

a long time, – I use oils you see, – 

while most other artists prefer to use

water-soluble paints, – which are somewhat easier to 

print with, – but I assume, that when I

"labour" as hard on my prints, as I do,

then I also wish to have a solid material 

to work with, so that my prints will if neces-

sary tolerate a wash, – if dust and the like in

the course of time should settle on them; and (a "wash") this is

totally out of the question, when one uses gelatine, glue

or adhesive paints – (which is most common). –

You understand from all these laments, which 

I have now tormented You with, – that I very

reluctantly print this woodcut, – but You can

object, that You are an "old client"

and an even an older "client" – than a couple of them,

                             8

whom I have delivered this woodcut to.

And with this in mind, I began working

on a print immediately after I had

received Your first letter regarding it, – but I

have had to put it aside – due to

this "art school" here in Förde; – it oc-

cupies nearly all my time, – but if You

are patient with me, as You

so often have been – I shall see,

if I can once more extract something out of 

these blocks; but send me a few words

about which print You have seen of this woodcut;

it might serve as a small "hint" for me, – even 

though I, as mentioned, never like to make two prints

exactly alike; – (one must always make an

attempt at "progress"; – but if it turns out better than

anything earlier – this is of course a different matter). –

In short, – I have once again taken up this

woodcut and will attempt to make You a print of

9

"Foxgloves"; – and as one of my best

and oldest "clients", – You shall not pay more

than 600 kroner (the original price), – but do not

let anyone else – aside from Kramer – know about this! –

But You will perhaps find – this too – more

than expensive, – I almost feel the same myself,

– but almost a couple of months’ time goes into it,

– even when nothing "goes wrong". In the print, that I have

begun there are no mistakes so far,

but a lot remains, – and certain things

must be printed up again, as I have been too

careful and printed with paint that is too faint, – 

one becomes nervous by remembering earlier

"calamities". Well, this print must therefore

be considered an experiment! If it goes wrong, – well

then You must forgive me once again, – – and wait

until next autumn or winter; – for I haven’t the energy

to begin a new one right away, if this

                         10

should fail now. With this reserva-

tion – I hope, You will not be angry with me.

And if it turns out, that You became dis-

satisfied with this print, then I shall promise

to begin a new one in the autumn or win-

ter, – I shall not give up, until

You have received a print, which You are satisfied

with; – You must therefore only "say so if You do not like it", – I

won’t be the least offended by it;

As for the pen drawings and ex libris (which I

now have a whole pile of sketches of), I must 

be permitted to come back to them later.

I have been ill and in bed for a couple of days here in Förde at

Dr. Bydal’s – and have barely stood up again and must

catch up on the lost time at school, so You must

forgive my handwriting and style, which is the result of my

anxiety and restlessness, – I don’t really own

my own time now, as I must "act" like a schoolmaster.

                             11

The school is going well, – we have an excellent and

beautiful model – 16-17 years old, – who came

to us from one of the two academies in Oslo.

And then I have three or four very gifted pupils,

who bring me pleasure, – – and 7 or 8, who

nearly bring one to despair, – and it is 

these one must unfortunately spend the most

time with; – I agreed to this "undertaking"

of the "art school" – in the hope of having the op-

portunity of doing some "nude" drawings; – but it was a lie;

there isn’t enough time, – and it is impossible to even

work or study during the constant disrup-

tion, which is created – by having to look at the 

work of others and constantly having to penetrate another person’s

view of things. Then it is easier to do a little "printing" during

the breaks; – (one is sufficiently angry to

be energised). But all the pupils are very 

poor, so it is not exactly a lucrative

undertaking: – for nearly two months now – I have only

earned approximately 20 kroner per pupil – and the poorest among them I

12

have thought of paying the money back to, when

the school ends; (while the school lasts, they might

easily find it insulting, – and that

might have an influence on their studies). –

One must do something for one’s brothers

in art; – and it costs them enough – any-

way – with fees for the model, room and board, paints and drawing

materials etc. – If only I might in ex-

change give them some knowledge and advice, that

was helpful! – I often have a guilty conscience for

not having enough expertise in that respect. –

         

As for the pictures for Erpecom, – I would

very much like to know a little about the choice of motifs etc. –

Perhaps You are familiar with his taste? Well, more about

that later. Live well! – and greetings to Your

wife with sincerest thanks from my family and me

Greetings to Your sons, if they are at home!

With best wishes Your

Nikolai Astrup

Adr. Dr. Bydal

Förde Sfj.

Envelope, front:

To

Capt. H. J. Meyer

   Vetrlids-almenning 27

Bergen