Readers of this blog know about my fascination with Frida Hansen’s monumental tapestry, Sørover [Southward], and the mystery of its disappearance and rediscovery. The articles I wrote for the Norwegian Textile Letter are here. I feel so lucky to have been involved in the research about Southward, and to share information about the tapestry and Frida Hansen. Now that I have been deep into research on Frida Hansen’s transparencies, I hadn’t thought about Southward lately–until this week.
I attribute my current fascination with solving tapestry mysteries to something I desperately wanted as a child — an attic filled with trunks and furniture and old letters in boxes. I grew up on a farm in Bygland Township in northwestern Minnesota. After my father had a bumper crop of potatoes in 1951, he proposed to my mother and ordered plans for a modern ranch-style home. It had large picture windows and a modern kitchen with the latest appliances. I was born one year later. Early on I envied the people living in large old farmhouses with mysterious top floors. I asked my parents, “Are you sure we don’t have an attic?” No, just a three-foot high crawl space and insulation. I laid in bed and stared at the square opening in the ceiling, longing for a narrow staircase leading to secrets.
And now, this week there is a Southward finding in an attic! I’ve been in touch with Tove Solbakken, an enthusiastic historian with the Oslo Cultural Preservation Office. She is documenting Bestumhus, Frida Hansen’s home in Oslo, built in 1903. It is still a private home, but it will be preserved and protected by a national law. I will visit Tove and some of Frida Hansen’s relatives at Bestumhus during my research trip to Norway at the end of the month. Tove wrote yesterday, “But, the big news is: Today I was at Bestumhus and up in the attic Dag and I found a large file full of Frida’s drawings and watercolours! I just had a brief look today, I’m going back tomorrow to go through it, and also search the attic some more.” And look which watercolor she found!
I knew I was right about attics. I can’t wait to see what else Tove documents.
Looking forward to hearing more of this wonderful story. Thank you!