Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Høst, Isabella; Høst, Sigurd
1910-09-20

Transcription:

Tor Martin Leknes

Translation:

Francesca Nichols

Page

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Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Høst, Isabella; Høst, Sigurd
1910-09-20
Brevs.531-67504, Nasjonalbiblioteket

8 Pages

Transcription: Tor Martin Leknes

Translation: Francesca Nichols

Transcription

Kjære Höst og frùe!

    Jeg har modtaget 200 kr., som I har sendt

som postanvisning – er det fra Meyer eller

er det for billeder, som I har solgt for mig?

Modtag min hjærteligste tak i begge til-

fælde. Jeg veed ikke hvorledes det skùlde

gaaet mig de 2 sidste aar, hvis jeg ikke

havde havt Eder til at hjælpe mig. 

Jeg bliver Eder meget skyldig, hvorledes

skal jeg kùnne faa betale lidt af paa min

gjæld til Eder – billeder har jeg snart

ikke mange igjen af – 3-4 tager jeg med

mig nù til Bergen – og I skal selvfölgelig

faa vælge – men i længden kan jeg ikke

betale Eder med billeder bare; thi I vilde

da faa for mange Astrupper – nù synes

jeg virkeleg I skùlde tage procenter af de

billeder I sælger for mig; – thi det er jo

rimeligt, at I ogsaa vil have andre kùnst-

nere end Mùnch og mig paa Eders vægge.

Nù har jeg jo de 2 sidste aar ikke solgt bil-

leder ùden gjennem Eder – med ùndtagelse

af Meyer – til hvem jeg jo ogsaa væsentlig 

har solgt ved Eders hjælp – det er da höist

rimeligt, at I nù tager procenter af salg

naar I, som I siger, fremdeles vil sælge

billeder for mig. Det var jo storartet for

mig at Meyer vilde kjöbe de 2 billeder. Nù kan

altsaa Engel faa være med mig – bare hùn nù

kùnde blive frisk – har stadig været syg

ùdover hösten – slem hoste – og saa er

der andre omstændigheder, som gjör, at hùn

vistnok ikke kan være med til udlandet;

hùn bliver iallefald med til Bergen, saa faar

jeg raadföre mig med Eder.

Nù har jeg stùderet frem og tilbage paa om

jeg skal udstille i Kjöbenhavn paa gjennem-

reisen – vanskeligheder med ùdlaan af billeder

har der altid været, naar jeg har skùllet

holde en udstilling – og de bliver vel værre

jo flere billeder, jeg faar solgt. Hos et paar

kjöbere f.ex. Dr. Lönnechen (tror jeg det var som

kjöbte "Sommervind ved opgangen til Jölsters præste-

gaard") betingede jeg mig udlaansret, da jeg solgte

billedet for halv pris. Men flere av billederne

veed jeg ikke hvem som kjöbte – jeg fik en

liste hos Skagen i vinter men der manglede

flere af billederne – saaledes veed jeg ikke, hvad

den dame hed som var sammen med Eder

og Henrik Lùnd og som kjöbte "Fra præstegaards-

haven i Jölster" No 36 i katalogen. Hùn var

vistnok fra Kristiania – en vakker dame –

af næsten rùssisk type – sortklæd og vistnok

enke. Billedet solgte jeg for 100 kr. men jeg

havde sikkert forlangt 2-300 hvis billedet

havde været malt paa lærred; – det var nemlig

malt paa pap og lod sig derfor vanskelig indramme

og var kùn stiftet fast paa en simpel list.

Henrik Lùnd sagde, at det var mit mest

koloristiske billede. Saa haaber jeg, at jeg

ved en eventuel udstilling vil faa laane Eders

billeder. Jeg skal her nævne op de billeder som

jeg

kùnde have lyst til at have med. Hvis

jeg ikke gjör Eder formeget bryderi – tùrde jeg

kanske bede Eder være saa elskværdig at telefonere

til de af billedeierne; som I kjender og spörge

om de er villige til ùdlaan.

1 "Fra skyggesiden" (Angaaende Eders forespörgsel om

hvad ramme, Det bùrde have, saa tror

jeg det er rigtigt med en dyb ramme, men

vent med det til billedet har været paa

laan – rammer lider ved ùdlaan.)

4 "Kold vaarnat og hæggetræ" – eier Henrik Lùnd

5 "Prisild" (skisse til St. Hans nat)" " do

6 "Lys Jùninat i Jölster" " Rasmùs Meyer

11 "Vaarnat ved maaneopgang" " do

12 "Vaarnat og seljetræ" " Advokat Knùdsen

13 "Vaarnat i haven (refùseret i Bergen) " Overlærer Höst

14 "Dagbrækning ved Jölsters præstegaard (vùndet af Aalesùnds k.

udloddet af kunstforening

atter ùdloddet???)

15 "Vaarkveld og regnbùe" (er dette billede I har solgt nù?)

18 "Sommernats skumring i haven" " Stiegler

21 "Kold sommernat i fjeldbygden" " (I Kristiania)

22 "Stùdie til "Jonsoknat" " do

23 "Regnstemning ùnder trærne ved Jölsters prst.gd. (Bankf.

O. Larsen)

24 "Trist graaveirsdag" (udloddet af kùnstforeningen – veed ikke hvor.)

28 "Jùninat og et gammelt vestlandstùn" " Rasmùs Meyer

29 "Raa aprilmorgen med Sneskred" " do

34 Vaarsmeltning solbrud og regn paa Jölstervandet do

II

No 36. Fra præstegaardshaven i Jölster – eier frù??

No 38. Et Jölstertùn i væde og höstregn " Rasmùs Meyer

No 39 Begravelsesdag i Jölster " Schetelig

No 40. Sommernatsvind i slaattetiden " Frù Henr. Lùnd

No 41 Martzstemning ved Jölstervandet " Advokat Knùdsen

No 42. Portraitstudie af en gammel mand (Er denne stùdie

hos Eder?)

No 43. Halvnögen Kvindestùdie " Rasmùs Meyer

No 45. Sommervind ved Jölsters præstegaard " Dr. Lönnechen??

No 46. Vaarstemning med kveldsol efter ùveir " ???

No 47 Hvidt hùs i skùmring og regn " Rasmùs Meyer

No 48. Et Jölstersagn om vaarnatten " Lillehamar

No 49. Soveværelseinteriör " Far og mor

No 51 Vaarvind ved Jölstervandet " Schetelig

No 52. Fra svanöen " Rasmùs Meyer

No 55 Lys Jùninat " Boghandler Nygaard

No 59. St. Hansnat i Jölster " Frù Vaaler Kristiania

No 60 Vaarregn og kirsebærtræ " Aslaksen Kristiania

No 61 Höstkveld i Haven " Frk. Holm (nù frù Breyholzt)

No 62 Vaarnat i Haven " Overlærer Höst

No 63 Löeinteriör " Kinck

  Saa har jeg tænkt at faa laane ud 4 5 bil-

leder i Kristiania af dem, som jeg ikke fig tag i til

Bergensudstillingen f. ex. "Mörkt Solskin" i Fredrikstad

Dette billede anser jeg nemlig selv som mit

bedste billede – bare jeg nù fik laane det –

sidst kosted det mig megen möie og adskillige

ùdgifter – breve telegrammer – leiede folk til

at reise ned og hente det og fik det ikke

alligevel – tiltrods for at det dog fra först af

var lovet mig til laans. Saa har jeg ogsaa

et godt lidet billede i Kristiania hos en

Aslaksen – det er en vaarstemning, som

aldrig har været udstillet – dette tror jeg maa

være mit næst bedste billede.

Her er koldt med rim paa markerne til

langt ud paa dagen.

Og dog længes jeg ikke efter at reise –

jeg er saa nervös om dagene, at jeg tvertimod

grùer mig for reisen, – naar jeg bare kùnde

være paa et rigtig öde sted et par ùger tror

jeg, at jeg skùlde blive fri nervösiteten.

Jeg tror jeg vil leie en sæterhytte og faa

op baaret en del ved og saa ligge der 8 dage

uden at se et menneske – kanske jeg da blev

bedre – noget maa jeg gjöre med den för

jeg reiser – thi nù sovner jeg ikke om nætterne

för det lysner af dag. Naar jeg ùndtager denne

nervösiteten, er jeg saa frisk om dagene, som jeg

ikke har været paa flere aar.

Jeg burde kanske reist lidt för nervositeten

blev saa slem – men jeg var <indstevnet> til

at möde i retten som vidne den 20 de {…}

og maa did i kommende ùge – jeg kùnde

saaledes ikke faae lov at reise för alligevel

Jeg haaber I lever vel hils frk. Inger

Lev vel. Engel beder hilse

Eders hjærteligst

hengivne

Astrup

Konvolutt, framside:

Hr. Overlærer Sigùrd Höst

Welhavens gade 30

Bergen

Translation

Dear Höst and Mrs.!

    I have received 200 kroner, which You have sent

as a money order – is it from Meyer or 

is it for the pictures, that You have sold for me?

Accept my most heartfelt thanks in both

cases. I don’t know how I would have

managed the past 2 years, if I had

not had You to help me. 

I am greatly indebted to You, how

can I pay off some of my

debt to You – of pictures I don’t have

many left – I will take 3-4 with

me now to Bergen – and You shall of course

choose among them – but in the long run I cannot

pay You with pictures alone; for then You would

have too many Astrups – now I seriously

think You should take a percentage of the 

pictures You sell for me; – for it is

reasonable that You would like to have other art-

ists besides Mùnch and me on Your walls.

In the past 2 years now I have not sold pic-

tures other than through You – with the exception

of Meyer – to whom I have essentially

sold with Your help – it is thus very 

reasonable, that You now take a percentage of sales

when You, as You say, wish to continue to sell

pictures for me. It was splendid for

me that Meyer wished to buy 2 pictures. This would mean

that Engel might now come with me – if only she 

can recover – has been continuously ill

throughout the fall – a severe cough – and then there

are other circumstances, which may make it difficult 

for her to accompany me abroad; 

she will in any case come along to Bergen, at which 

time I will consult with You.

I have recently considered back and forth whether

I will exhibit in Copenhagen while passing

through – difficulties with loaning pictures 

has always been a problem, when I was going

to arrange an exhibition – and it will get worse

the more pictures I sell. With a couple of

buyers for instance Dr. Lönnechen (I believe it was who

bought "Summer wind by the path up to Jölster vica-

rage") I retained the right to loan from, when I sold

the picture at half price. But there are a number of pictures 

I don’t know who has bought – I received a 

list from Skagen this winter but several

of the pictures are missing – likewise I don’t know what

the lady’s name is who was with You

and Henrik Lùnd and who bought "From the vicarage

garden in Jölster" No 36 in the catalogue. She was

evidently from Kristiania – a beautiful woman –

almost of the Russian type – dressed in black and evidently

a widow. The picture I sold for 100 kroner but I

would surely have demanded 2-300 had the picture

been painted on canvas; – it was 

painted on cardboard and was therefore difficult to frame

and was merely stapled to a plain strip of wood.

Henrik Lùnd said that it was my most accomplished

colourist picture. So I hope, that for a

future exhibition I will be able to loan Your

pictures. I will list here the pictures that I

might like to include. If

I am not inconveniencing you too much – dare I

perhaps ask You to be so kind as to telephone

those painting owners; whom You know and ask

them if they are willing to lend them out.

1 "From the Dark Side" (Regarding Your inquiry about

what frame, It should have, I think

it requires a deep frame, but

wait to do it until the picture has been on

loan – frames suffer when loaned out.)

4 "Cold Spring Night and Bird Cherry" – owner Henrik Lùnd

5 "Midsummer Fire" (sketch for Midsummer Night)" " ditto

6 "Bright June Night in Jölster" " Rasmùs Meyer

11 "Spring Night with Moon Rising" " ditto

12 "Spring Night and Sallow" " Solicitor Knùdsen

13 "Spring Night in the Garden (rejected in Bergen) " Headmaster Höst

14 "Daybreak at Jölster’s Vicarage" (won by Aalesùnds k.

at lottery held by the art association

sold again???)

15 "Spring Evening and Rainbow" (is this the picture you have just sold?)

18 "Dusk on a Summer Night in the Garden" " Stiegler

21 "Cold summer Night in Mountain Village" " (In Kristiania)

22 "Study for ‘Midsummer Eve’" " ditto         

23 "Rainy Atmosphere beneath the Trees at Jölster Vicarage" (Bank teller O. Larsen)

24 "Dismal grey weather day" (sold at lottery by the art association – location unknown.)

28 "A Night in June and Old Country Farmstead" " Rasmùs Meyer

29 "Raw Morning in April with Avalanche" " ditto

34 Spring Thaw Sun and Rain at Lake Jölstervandet ditto

II

No 36. From the Vicarage Garden in Jölster – owner Mrs. ??

No 38. A Jölster Farmstead in Wet Autumn Rain " Rasmùs Meyer

No 39 Funeral Day in Jölster " Schetelig

No 40. Wind on Summer Night during Haymaking Season " Mrs. Henr. Lùnd

No 41 March Atmopshere at Lake Jölstervandet " Solicitor Knùdsen

No 42. Portrait Study of an Old Man (Is this study

in Your care?)

No 43. Semi-naked Female Study " Rasmùs Meyer

No 45. Summer Wind at Jölster Vicarage " Dr. Lönnechen??

No 46. Spring Atmosphere with Evening Sun after a Storm " ???

No 47 White house at Dusk in Rain " Rasmùs Meyer

No 48. A Jölster Spring Night Legend " Lillehamar

No 49. Bedroom Interior " Father and mother

No 51 Spring Wind at Lake Jölstervandet " Schetelig

No 52. View from Svanöen " Rasmùs Meyer

No 55 Bright June Night " Bookseller Nygaard

No 59. Midsummer Eve in Jölster " Frù Vaaler Kristiania

No 60 Spring Rain and Cherry Tree " Aslaksen Kristiania

No 61 Autumn Evening in the Garden " Miss. Holm (now Mrs. Breyholzt)

No 62 Spring Night in the Garden " Headmaster Höst

No 63 Barn Interior " Kinck

  In addition I have planned to loan 4 5 pic-

tures in Kristiania from those, whom I didn’t reach in time for the

Bergen exhibition for instance "Dark Sunshine" in Fredrikstad

This picture I consider as my

best picture – if only I am able to loan it –

the last time it cost me great trouble and considerable

expenditure – letters telegrams – hired folk

to travel down to fetch it but didn’t get it

in the end – despite the fact that it was promised

to me to loan from the start. I also have 

a good little picture in Kristiania with a man named

Aslaksen – it is a spring atmosphere, which

has never been shown – I think it must

be my next best picture.

Here it is cold with hoarfrost in the fields until

far into the afternoon.

And yet I do not long to travel –

I am so anxious these days, that on the contrary I

dread to make the trip, – if I could only

stay in a very isolated place for a few days I

think, that I could be free of the anxiety.

I think I will rent a mountain cabin and have 

some wood transported up there and stay there for 8 days

without seeing a soul – perhaps I would then get

better – I have to do something about it before

I travel – for I do not sleep at night

until the day dawns. When I am relieved of this

nervousness, I am as well these days, as I 

haven’t been in many years.

Perhaps I should have travelled a little before the nervousness

became so severe – but I was <summoned> to

appear in court as a witness on the 20 th {…}

and must go there next week – I was

therefore not allowed to travel earlier just the same

I hope you are well say hello to Miss Inger

Live well. Engel sends her greetings

Your most sincerely

devoted

Astrup

Envelope, front:

Mr. Headmaster Sigùrd Höst

Welhavens gade 30

Bergen