The painting has no obvious landmarks, which many of Astrup's motifs have, but is most likely a detail from Ålhus in Jølster. Bearing in mind the Ålhus pictures, it is reasonable to infer that the white house represents the old personage rectory – with the garden, the parsonage field and Jølstravatnet in the middle and backgrounds.

The first time the painting was exhibited, was at the artist’s solo exhibition in Bergen Art Society in 1908. Here it bore the title “July morning at 3 am by Jølster Parsonage”, and was for sale for Kr. 30. The painting was sent to Astrup's uncle and aunt, Ole and Hanna Johannsen at Fortunen in Bergen. Afterwards it was delivered to Sigurd Høst, but without stating whether it was a gift or a sale. In his personal list of artworks Astrup from 1927 notes that Isabella Høst is the proprietor, while Sigurd Høst, who was her husband, is listed as proprietor in the Commemorative exhibition the following year. At this exhibition, the painting had the title “July morning, wet hayrack”. In the book Nikolai Astrup from 1954, written by Inger under her married name, Inger Alver Gløersen, the painting is listed with her as proprietor, and she describes it like this:

“In Downy Night we are steeped in the nature of Western Norway. We glimpse a little white cabin behind imposing, old trees. A long hayrack, heavy with hay and rain – on the road walks a man who looks strangely small next to the trees and high mountains. He walks in the middle of the road, and appears to be lunging forward in long strides. […] The entire picture is fuzzy – marked by a primitive atmosphere, a result of the overabundance of water. The hayracks have been erected as evidence of mankind’s struggle against the elements. And man is the victor. Although the motif is saturated in water, it also appears bountiful. Thee long, ample hayrack appears lush and bountiful.”

Art historian Øystein Loge did not pinpoint the location of the motif in his cataloguing of Astrup's paintings, despite having included it in the catalogue. The provenance between Inger Alver Gløersen and its current owner, who purchased it from Kaare Berntsen Antikviteter in 1996, is unknown.

Kaare Berntsen Antikviteter

Founded: 1930

Autumn Dusk in the Garden

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1902 - 1902

Downy Night

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1903 - 1903

Grey Spring Evening with Fruit Trees in Bloom

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1909 - 1909