Naar jeg skal udtale mig om

Hr. Nicolai Astrup som kunstner,

saa kan det ikkje være paa samme

maade, hvorpaa en ældre maler

skriver anbefaling for unge kunstnere,

der i större eller mindre grad er "Be-

gyndere". Hr. Astrup er ingen be-

gynder, skjönt han har malt ganske

kort tid. Hans overordentlige talent

har gjort, at han som i en leg har

gjennemgaaet den förste udvikling,

der i almindelighed stanser andre

i mindst 10 aar.

  Jeg taler her saaledes ikke

om ham som "lovende", thi

han er meget mere. Han har

allerede begyndt at holde sine

löfter.

      Jeg tror om ham, at han bli

vil blive den, der bedst vil

hævde den norske kunsts stilling

baade hjemme og i udlandet. 

      Denne min alvorlig opfatning

er stöttet paa, hvad jeg har set

at hans tidligere arbeider og

hvad han malede paa min

skole

   Paris 10-5-02.

Christian Kròhg.

When I express my opinion about

Mr. Nicolai Astrup as an artist,

it cannot be in the 

manner, in which an older painter

writes a recommendation for young artists,

who are to a greater or lesser degree “Be-

ginners”. Mr. Astrup is by no means a be-

ginner, though he has only been painting for a

short while. His exceptional talent

has allowed him to complete like child’s 

play the first development,

where others normally remain

for at least 10 years.

I speak of him here not

as “promising” however, for

he is much more than that. He has

already begun to live up to his

promise.

      I believe that he be

will be the one, who will most

successfully assert the position of Norwegian art

both at home and abroad. 

      This serious opinion of mine

is based on, what I have seen

of his earlier works and

what he has painted at my

school

   Paris 10-5-02.

Christian Kròhg.