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Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Kramer, Per
1921-08-02
ubb-ms-1808-f-8, MARCUS – Spesialsamlingene ved Universitetsbiblioteket i Bergen

6 Pages

Transcription

Kjære Kramer! Sandal 2de Aùg, 21

Ja tùsend tak for Kari, – for brev og for pengene, – det

var jo forgalt, at dù skal sende mig Kr. 100, förend dù veed, 

hvordan billedet blir. – Ja Kari har dù jo nù ogsaa 

havt meget udlæg med, – jeg tænkte smaat paa at kommet

mig afsted i næste uge en tùr og hentet hende, – jeg vidste 

ikke, at Engel havde sendt express bùd med datter til Fond. 

Dù har jo betalt billet og meget andet for hende, som dù nù

maa före paa regning. Ja Engel har vel skrevet, at Kari 

kom idag, og om, at hùn var begeistret over alt, hùn 

havde oplevet og havde faaet. Engel vilde, jeg skùlde sætte

mig ned og skrive straks, men jeg har været saa frygtelig 

plaget af asthmaen nù i en ùke, at jeg magtede ikke at 

skrive för nù i nat, – der gaar desùden först post i morgen. 

Asthmaen blir værre og værre med mig nù. – Münster raader

mig fra at bruke "adrenalinen", som jeg fik hos Brock Martens, 

men doktor Bydal, som var her i gaar mener, den er ikke saa 

farlig, – den hjælper, men flygtigt – bare for et par timer – og jeg tör

ikke brùke mere end et par spröiter pr. dögn. En opkvik-

kelse i min elendighed har det været i denne ùke, –

at vi har havt maleren Mons Breivik her, – han 

er en prægtigere mand end jeg havde tænkt mig, – og 

han er ogsaa bleven en meget bedre kùnstner, end han 

var för, – han har virkelig arbeidet hardt paa sig selv;

han tegnede mig to gange, – to udmærkede tegninger, – han 

var meget begeistret for Kalands portræt, som jeg 

ogsaa altid har syntes godt om. Han tegnede ogsaa 

gaarden her fra to kanter. Vi tok en motorbaat-tùr til 

Berg en dag, da jeg var lidt bedre. – Breivik fik rent hjærte-

værk, tror jeg, da han fik se Bergs malerier, han sùkket

hele tiden – "ja det kommer inkje an paa klokskap" – sa

han – jeg mindtes dine ord; – "eg skùlde ynskja, eg kùnde ha

maala slek" sa han. Breivik har tydelig havt godt af

sit ùdenlands ophold, – han værdsatte ikke höit, det han 

hadde gjort för, – det var nù han skulde begjynde, – sa han. 

Jeg fik dit brev med copi af brev til N. Haùgen, men jeg har 

været saa daarlig, at jeg ikke orket at gaa did og tale 

med ham, – og han har heller ikke kommet hid, – jeg skal 

skrive straks, jeg har talt med ham. Vi hörte i dag, at den

gùdelige man "med flekken" havde "trukket dig lidt op", – i det

han havde forlangt 45 öre pr. liter af dig, – konen hans 

fortalte det, – meieriet tar 40, men han syntes vel, han maatte

ha 5 öre extra for at bære melken hjem. Med hensyn til hùs, 

saa veed jeg intet ledigt til salgs her i bygden, – men i Nordfjord 

skal der være flere, men det blir lang transport, – jeg undres paa, 

om dù ikke skulde komme billigst til det med "standerværk eller 

dobbel pap og krydsfiner med tælte raster – det blev iallefald den billigste

transport, og du kunde kanske faa kjöbt staver her i skogene. {...}

II

Da vilde dù spare en del transport paa det ogsaa. – Og saa

havde dù den fordel at kùnne bygge hùset slig, som dù 

selv fandt for godt og ikke være afhængig af den störrelse, 

et gammelt hùs havde havt; – jeg tænker mig det slik, hvad

væggene angaar (i gjennemsnit) vertikal skisse, snitt av vegg:

(De to tykke lod-

rette streker skal 

være pap paa

begge sider af

rasterne – mellem-

rùmmene mellem 

rasterne tænkes fyldt

med ener (ophakket) 

tekst til skisse:

bordklænding

bordklædning

bordklædning

raster og enersaks

krydsfiner

Dette blev jo det simpleste, men 

det kan hænde, det var bedst at

have en paneling mellem bord-

klædningen og rasterne, eller ogsaa bruke en grov krydsfiner

for exempel den saakaldte forskalningsfiner som brùges

ved cementering, – den er ganske billig. Et saadant 

hùs vilde ogsaa være hùrtigt at opföre og saaledes spare 

arbeidslön, – som hidtil har været det dyreste ved bygning. 

Men dù vilde vel ikke finde det saa koseligt at have

vægger af krydsfiner istedenfor tömmerstokker, – men det blev

lige varmt som tömmer og kanske varmere, – jeg er tænkt at

gjöre min tilbygning til attelieret paa denne maade. 

Jeg har et godt lidet tömmerhùs i "kikkerten" men manden, 

som har eiet det, er endnù ikke död, – bor hos sin svigersön, 

men önsker ikke, at det skal sælges, mens han lever: – De andre

tömmerhùs, som er ledige, er smaa eller daarlige, – og et hùs af

nyt tömmer blir jo lige stygt som en panelvæg eller krydsfinèr

Det kunde ogsaa lade sig gjöre at kjöbe flere gamle hùs

og tage det brugelige tömmer af hvert hùs og sætte sam-

men, – det var paa den maaden, jeg gjorde det med

den stùen, som Dere laa i, – men det blir den 

dyreste af alle bygningsmaader, – da der gaar

en masse arbeidstid med at vrake og vælge

stokkene, – flere gange viste det sig, at en stok 

maatte kaseres, efter at den var tilpasset og til-

hùgget paa den ene side, – og naar man skulde

hugge af stokken paa den anden side, var den helt eller 

delvis raadden, og flere timers arbeide var spildt, – 

og saa maatte der stadig hùgges nye "naaver", da de to 

hùs ikke havde været like store – og saa var stokkene 

i det ene hùs meget tykkere end stokken i det andet 

hùs, og det maatte gjevnes og afhùgges, – saa brugte man i gamle

dage at gjævne af den ene stok efter den andens ùgjevnheder, – derved

blev der "glis", naar der kom stokker sammen af forskjellige hùs, 

og saa maatte der lappes og "laskes" – eller hùgges af langs

hele stokken. Nei nù naa plager jeg dig. Dù faar ùndskylde min 

skrift og stil, – jeg har anfaldet over mig nù, – saa jeg

maa slùtte. Saa maa jeg atter sige dig tak for alt. Haaber

Dere lever vel. Tak for telegram i anledning min födselsdag!

Kari fortæller om det, – her kom nemlig intet, – antagelig ligger

det paa Vasenden – og da bör man intet gjöre ved saken, da Nilsen 

er god at have han har havt det travelt med hotellet (han er Sofies fætter). Ja, lev da vel og hils hele fami-

lien hjærteligst. Bedste hilsen fra Kari og os alle din hengivne Astrup

Kjære ven. 

Ja nettop som jeg skulde gaa i "postkassen" med brevet 

kom Nikolai Haùgen og Anders (broderen) og skùlde

paa tùr indover til Nordfjord. Nikolai kom op

til mig, da han saa mig i svingen og sa, at bùdet 

var ùantageligt. – (ja han sa det med adskillige

"snirkler", som jeg springer over), – han nævnte at der

var en del værdi i beite o.s.v. – Jeg fùlgte ham ned

til veien for om mùligt at faa noget ud af hans

broder, som han "satte frem" som den, der ikke kun-

de gaa med paa tilbùdet, – imidlertid kom jeg til 

det resultat, at Anders var rimeligere, – men han turde

vel intet at sige for broderen, – der jo endnù er eieren – jeg

sa da, at jeg troede, det var bedst, at han gik indom

dig, naar han nù reiste tilbage til östlandet, – saa dere

kùnde konferere mùndtlig. – Nikolai mente det var bedst

jeg skrev til dig; – jeg forstaar at Nikolai, da muligens

tænker at beholde parcellen selv, – og jeg sagde derfor, at jeg 

troede det var bedst, at brödrene sig imellem afgjorde

handelen, og saa fik Anders (som er böieligere) afgjöre det

med Kramer. En ting forstod jeg imidlertid, at det er 

meget om at gjöre for begge at faa noget mere penge

straks, – da Nikolai har havt store udgifter. Han nævnte

at han maatte ud med ca. 1000 Kr. nù i höst – og han sa, at

om Dere var kommen i handel nù i sommer, vilde han forlangt 1000 i den 

nærmeste fremtid, – resten kunde da godt have staaet indtil 

videre nogle aar. Jeg har talt med Fond om dit bùd, og 

han synes, dù maa kunne faa det for den pris, – det er jo 

altid vanskeligt her paa Jölster at faa en liden parcel, – da det

ansees som skam at sælge af brùget, – jeg havde gjerne givet 2000

da jeg ikke kunde faa mig en tomt nogen steder dengang jeg byggede paa

Myklebùst – men jeg synes dù bör tale med Anders för dù byr mere. – Nù i dette

öieblik fik jeg dit telegram (samt et par andre) tusend tak da for dette og alt

andet. Og bedste hilsener til Eder alle – Din hengivne Astrup

Translation

Dear Kramer! Sandal 2th August, 21

Well many thanks on behalf of Kari, – for the letters and for the money, – it

is too kind for words, that you shall send me kr. 100, before you know 

how the picture will turn out. – And because of Kari you have also 

had considerable expenses, – I had just thought of coming

down next week to fetch her, – not

knowing, that Engel had sent an express messenger with Fond’s daughter. 

You have paid the ticket and much more for her, which you must

add to the account. Well Engel has probably written, that Kari 

arrived today, and that she was excited about everything she

had experienced and been given. Engel wanted me to sit

down and write immediately, but I have been so terribly 

afflicted by the asthma for a week now, that I did not have the strength

to write before this evening, – the post doesn’t leave until tomorrow anyway. 

The asthma has been tormenting me more and more of late. – Münster advises

me not to use “the adrenaline”, which I got from Brock Martens,

but doctor Bydal, who was here yesterday does not think it is so 

unsafe, – it helps me, but temporarily – only for a couple of hours – and I don’t

dare to use more than a couple of injections per 24 hours. It has been

uplifting in my misery this week, –

to have the painter Mons Breivik here, – he 

is a better man than I had thought, – and 

he is also a much better artist, than he 

was before, – he has really worked hard to improve himself;

he drew me twice, – two excellent drawings, – he 

was very enthusiastic about Kaland’s portrait, which I 

have also always liked. He also drew 

the farm here from two angles. We took a motorboat excursion to visit

Berg one day, when I was feeling a little better. – Breivik practically fell in

love, I believe, when he saw Berg’s paintings, he sighed

the entire time – “well it has nothing to do with cleverness” – he

said – I was reminded of your words; – “I wish, that I could

paint like that” he said. Breivik has clearly benefited from

his sojourn abroad, – he did not value highly what he 

had done before, – it was now that he would begin, – he said. 

I received your letter with copy of the letter to N. Haùgen, but I have 

been so ill, that I did not have the strength to go there and talk 

to him, – and he has not come here either, – I will 

write as soon as I have spoken to him. We heard today, that the

pious man “with the mole”, had “raised you[r price] a little”, – in that

he had demanded 45 öre per litre from you, – his wife 

said so, – the dairy charges 40, but he no doubt thinks, that he should

have 5 öre extra for carrying the milk home. With respect to a house, 

I don’t know of any available for sale here in the village, – but in Nordfjord 

there are evidently several, but that would require a long transport, – I wonder, 

whether it might be cheapest for you to use “timber framing or

double cardboard and plywood with studs[.] that would at least require the cheapest

transport, and you might perhaps be able to get hold of logs from the forests here. {...}

II

Then you would save a bit on transport of that as well. – And then

you would have the advantage of being able to build the house, as you 

pleased and not be dependent on the size, 

an old house had had; – I envision it like this, when

it comes to the walls (in general) vertical sketch, section of wall:

(The two thick ver-

tical lines repre- 

sent cardboard on

both sides of

the studs – the empty

spaces between 

the studs and be filled

with juniper (chopped) 

text accompanying the sketch:

wood cladding

wood cladding

wood cladding

studs and juniper branches

plywood

It would be simplest, however 

it may be best to

have panelling between the wood

cladding and the studs or also use a rough plywood

for example the so-called fake plywood that is used

in formwork, – it is quite cheap. A house of this

type would also take little time to erect and thus save

workmen’s wages, – which up to now has been the greatest building expense.

But you would not find it so nice to have

walls made of plywood instead of timber, –but it would be

just as warm as timber and perhaps warmer, – I have planned to

make my annex to the studio in this manner. 

I have a good little log cabin in “my sights” but the man, 

who has owned it, is not yet dead, – lives with his son-in-law, 

but does not wish for it to be sold, while he is alive: – The other

log cabins, which are available, are small and in poor condition, – and a house made of

new timber is just as ugly as a wall made of panelling or plywood

It might also be possible to purchase several old buildings

and use the suitable timber from each building and combine it to-

gether, – it was in that way, I did it with

the cabin, that You stayed in, – but it is the 

most expensive of all the building methods, – since it takes

an excessive amount of time to pick and choose

the logs, – it happened several times, that a log 

had to be discarded, after it had been measured and cut off

on the one end, – and when one was about

to cut off the log on the other end, it was totally or 

partially rotten, and several hours of work had been wasted, – 

and then one had to constantly cut new “joints”, since the two 

houses had not been the same size – and then the logs 

in the new house were much thicker than the logs in the other 

houses, and it had to be evened out and cut off, – and then in the old 

days it was customary to even out the irregularities, – in this way

there would be a “gap”, when logs from different houses were combined, 

and then they had to be patched and “spliced” – or cut along the length

of the entire log. Well now I am annoying you. You must pardon my 

handwriting style, – I am being overcome by a seizure now, – so I

have to end here. And then I must once again thank you for everything. Hope

You are living well. Thanks for the telegram on my birthday!

Kari told us about it, – nothing has arrived here, – it is probably

held up in Vasenden – and then one should not do anything about the matter, as Nilsen 

is a good help he has been busy with the hotel (he is Sofie’s cousin). Well, live well then and relay my warmest greeting to the 

entire family. Best wishes from Kari and all of us your devoted Astrup

P.S

Dear friend. 

Well just as I was going to the “letterbox” with the letter 

Nikolai Haùgen and Anders (his brother) came by on

their way into Nordfjord. Nikolai came up 

here, when he saw me in the bend in the road and said, that the offer 

was improbable. – (well he said it in a very

“roundabout” way, which I am jumping over), – he mentioned that there

was some value in pastures, etc. – I followed him down

to the road in order if possible to get something out of his

brother, whom he “presented” as the one, who could

not accept the offer, – in the meantime I came to 

the conclusion, that Anders was more reasonable, – but he did

not dare to say anything because of his brother, – who is still the owner – I

therefore said, that I believed it was best, that he stopped by

your place, when he returned to East Norway, – so that you 

might confer verbally. – Nikolai felt it was best

that I write to you; – I understand that Nikolai, possibly

intends to keep the allotment himself, – and I thus said, that I 

thought it was best, if the brothers reached a conclusion between themselves

about the transaction, and then Anders (who is more malleable) could agree

with Kramer. One thing I understood immediately, was that it is of

great significance for both of them to get some more money

right away, – since Nikolai has had great expenses. He mentioned

that he had to spend around 1000 kr. now this autumn – and he said, that

if You had made the deal now this summer, he would have demanded 1000 in the 

nearest future, – the rest might then have waited

further for a couple of years. I have spoken with Fond about your offer, and 

he thinks, you should be able to get it for that price, – it is 

always difficult here in Jölster to get a little allotment, – as it is

considered a disgrace to sell part of a farm, – I would have gladly given 2000

when I could not obtain a lot anywhere when I was building in

Myklebùst – but I think you should talk to Anders before you offer more. – Just this 

second I received your telegram (and a few others) many thanks then for this and everything

else. And best wishes to all of You – Your devoted Astrup