Dear Mrs. Höst.

Thank you for Your kind letter, which I received yesterday immediately

after I sent my letter to You. It pleased me greatly

that You liked the woodcuts – it is the best medicine

to receive such letters. I have had to lay down a few times

to rest – my energy cannot be sustained over time added to this I am ridden

by ceaseless "Diarrhoea" which wears me out – but I

cannot rest for long before the choking fits

commence. As soon as I am a little better I will take a trip in to

my studio at Myklebùst – and print a little pile of "Job"

since You liked it so much – then You shall have it to give

to Your friends – and of course also other woodcuts if there are any of

them that You desire for that use ^{Soria Moria?} – I must also thank You

for all the inconvenience, You have had with my woodcuts for the ex-

hibition – the frames yes – it is a senseless decision

that nothing can be exhibited without gold (matt gold), but I imagine Nordha-

gen replaced the ^{few that are} in black, – when I spoke about the frames with Didr. Ander-

sen it was not my intention that You should have the inconvenience of arranging

this for the exhibition – the remaining frames that are mine – I had intended

for You to have ^{"disposal of"} have for Your own and Thesen’s prints – Nordhagen wrote speci-

fically that he – or rather the exhibition would provide for the frames. You ask what a

series will cost; from the list You will see that it would be a little over 1200 (1210), if I have not miscalculated

subtract from that 270 ^{(for the prints I did not send)} that is to say 920 – I can make a series for approximately 700 kr. and for

600 if one is willing to let "rainbow" be omitted ^{when I have time to carve a new block it will perhaps be good and cheaper}. Nordhagen shall nevertheless have the right to select a

few prints for himself (otherwise no one ^has aside from You and Your daughter). I have since realised that in order to be

quite durable the paper should have an undercoat of white ^{zink oxide} paint otherwise the surface will turn yellow with time.

Yes I received 100 from Wefring and 150 from Thesen – my closest merchant was so happy that he

beamed when he received 100 – I’m sure he thought that he had lost both that and more that I owe him.

I am working on some cursed pen drawings that [I] promised Gyldendal [publishing house] this spring when

I was in dire straits – and then I am damned exhausted sick and tired. With best wishes from Engel and me

Your Astrup

Letter

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