Selected Objects
Dalecarlian horse (Dala horse), 19th Century
Dalecarlian horse (Dala horse), 19th Century
A very rare Dalecarlian horse from the second half of the 19th Century. The horse is carved and painted at Besslarsgården in Bergkarlås, Dalarna, Sweden. It´s painted by Kerstin Olsdotter Falk (1849-1899). She learned to paint horses from her father Vik Olof Hansson (1819-1885). He was one of the pioneers to produce painted Dala horses. (Some authorities says he was the first.) When he started, he took help from the wellknown folk art painter Stikå Erik Hansson (1823-1897) to paint patterns on the horses.
Kerstin Olsdotter/Falk´s daughter Besslars Karin Falk "Mor Nisser" married Nisser ( 1883-1947) and her son Olof Falk (1885-1948) also learned in young age to paint horses and forwarded the family tradition.
Dalecarlian horses are in modern times symbols of Dalarna and Sweden, but in the old days mostly used as toys.
Provenance:
This horse comes from the author and member of the Swedish Academy Birgitta Trotzig (1929-2011). It has been given from mother to daugther in the family from the second part of the 19th Century and forward. We bought it from her children.
Very nice patina, with minor wear and cracks.
H. 23 cm
Price on request