Autumn Evening, Dusk

There are no known photographs of this painting, however during the memorial exhibition in 1928 the art historian Magnhild Ødvin Bukdahl (1899–1988) writes the following notes in her copy of the exhibition catalogue: "woman, cloth, boy". Along with Astrup’s title this indicates that the motif is a landscape painting depicting twilight in autumn with figures.

The painting was on sale at Astrup’s 1908 exhibition at Bergens kunstforening (art society) for 50 kroner. The painting was not sold, but the society’s records show that the painting was sent to Ole Johannessen (1858–1948) in Bergen. Johannessen was married to Hanna Lodtz (1862–1948), who was a cousin of Astrup’s mother, Petra Constanse Astrup, née Lodtz (1860–1930). In conjunction with the exhibition, several pictures were sent to Johannessen to be stored.

Later, in 1927, the artist listed Jacob Høst as the owner of the painting. Here Astrup is probably mixing up two brothers – (Ude) Jacob Høst (1859–1934) and Eivind Høst (1870–1935) – because the following year, in 1928, the painting, with the same title and measurements, is loaned to the memorial exhibitions by Eivind Høst. At Eivind Høst’s death in 1935 the painting was inherited by his daughter Astrid Høst, whose married name was Schreiner (1907–1969). She subsequently loaned it to the Astrup exhibitions in Oslo and Bergen in 1955 and 1956. By the time of the Astrup exhibition in 1971, the work has once again changed hands, but the new owner is anonymised in the list of works. The subsequent history of the work is unknown.

In the exhibition catalogues, the painting is listed as being signed “Astrup” and measuring 60 x 90 cm. For the Astrup exhibition in 1956, the work is dated 1912.