Kunstnerdalen - in the heart of Buskerud
"For as long as the summer lasted I could not paint in the least. All that I did was disposable, just like in Paris. When it all had come to an end, I moved, along with some young painters, up to Modum, and then it was as if a dam had burst. I was painting from morning till evening."
This is how the painter Frits Thaulow described his encounter with the valley, which was central to the golden age of Norwegian painting. The Valley of Artists it is called, because well-known painters such as Edvard Munch, Chr. Krohg, Tidemand & Gude, and others painted many masterpieces here.
What was it that triggered this creativity in these well traveled artists? The answer lies in the open, bewitching landscape, from where the shapes of goblins and trolls emerge - if only you keep your eyes open. Many put it down on canvas, and the painters Chr. Skredvig and Th. Kittelsen took up residence here to be close to their motifs. Join a round trip through the valley which inspired so many. At Lauvlia you can try to paint the same motifs as Th. Kittelsen did!
The trip starts at "Blaafarveværket" in Modum which, in its time, was the world´s leading supplier of cobalt blue to the glass and porcelain industry. The wooden framed houses are 200 years old, and the museum consists of five different constructions stretching out over an area five miles long . Here you can, among other things, see a diverse range of exhibitions, experience local history, visit the Children's Farm, the "Blue Shop" at "Mølla", or go to see the cobalt mines.
Not least the place is known as one of Scandinvia´s most important exhibitors of pictorial art, and enjoys record numbers of visitors every year.
We continue along the river Simoa which winds its way, wide and beautiful, up to Prestfoss. Next stop is an old country courtyard with buildings with tarred walls. The Centre for Folk and Traditional Music in Buskerud, and the museums of Sigdal and Eggedal offer presentations and activities throughout the summer. The places are teeming with people, and there is dancing and fun, and the opportunity to buy handicraft products. At Prestfoss lake Soneren begins. Here you can find Th. Kittelsen´s home "Lauvlia", where he created his beautiful poetry of the nature. He decorated the house himself with carvings and paintings. You can see models of the toys he made for his children, and there are easels, brushes and paint ready for the little ones to use. In Eggedal you will find Chr. Skredsvig´s house, "Hagan", high above Eggedal Church. It is a strange house, put together of several buildings, and there is a unique collection of 150 original paintings and drawings by Skredsvig himself and his artist friends. Beautiful and old rustic furniture also adorn the rooms.
Then you cross the Djupsjøen lake to Norefjell mountain, with its magnificent possibilities for hiking, summer and winter alike. The fairytale castle Villa Fridheim is situated by the Krøderfjord. Villa Fridheim - the country house that became a fairytale museum. The large wooden building was raised in the 1890s in a unique style and it has a tower rising 100 feet above the ground. The walls in the hall are embellished with large murals with motifs from the fairytales. Villa Fridheim can offer several exhibitions, and activities for the children.
A world of adventure along the watercourses of south/east Norway. Kryllingen sailing on the Krøderfjord in Kunstnerdalen. The tourist boat, Kryllingen, takes you over the waters of the Krøderfjord. The fjord has been beautifully captured in the painting "Evening at Krøderfjord" Tidemand & Gude from 1851. At the end of the fjord lies "Krøderbanen", Norway's oldest museum rail-road, which is 16 miles long. The vintage train on its way from Vikersund to Krøderen is an experience for both passengers and spectators. You are taken back to the era of steam powered locomotives, with smoke and steam in historically correct surroundings from the turn of the century. The gold miners town of "Deadwood City" at Kløftefoss is rampaged by cowboys every Sunday. And - beware of trainrobbers!
More info: http://www.kunstnerdalen.no/
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