Robert Heiling: > Rob Gray wrote: > > >> >Rob Gray wrote: >> >> Can anyone tell me what the writing on the document linked below >>means >> >> in English? Also, does anyone know about when/where it was made? >> >> >> Thank you in advance for any ideas. >> >> >> http://home.epix.net/~robgray/temp/print1.jpg >> >> Rob >> >> USA >> >> >Simply "man & wife of the Rejndalen parish in the Agershuus bishopric". >> >The fact that the same saying is in both German & Danish would make me >> >suspect that it might be alluding to somewhere in the previously >> >contested >> >Schlesvig-Holstein area of Denmark. >> >> >Bob >> >>Thanks, >> >>Can you tell me if this one below is also in the same two languages? >> >>Rob >> >> http://home.epix.net/~robgray/temp/print4.jpg > > > Line 1: a man from Skandel with his wife > Line 2: a man and his wife in the Skondol parish in Norway > > Yes, but I blundered on the first because I read og as eg and ruling out Norsk > and not being very familiar with Dansk thought that's what it was. Both examples > are in Norwegian & German as far as I can tell. I'm certain that some of the > natives will speak up and comment of your other question. Some "native" comments: The translations are - of course - correct. Hamar diocese (bishopric; Oppland and Hedemark counties), which Rendalen belongs to today, was established in 1863 (re-established, as it existed before the reformation i 1537). Before, the two counties was part of Kristiania diocese (Kristiania=Oslo; Akershus is the castle/fortress of Oslo, used as name of the county around Oslo, and apparently sometimes as name for the diocese) This indicates a time limit for the text (although the publisher not necessarily was updated on the organization of the church). Skondøl or Skandøl parish is not known to me. (someone else?) As a first guess, I would say these paintings (drawings?) are made in the 1830s or 40s. (I do not know, just guess.) I am not able to see any signature on prints. Are there any? The enumerated prints appears to belong to a (or two different?) series. One possibility is a work on Norwegian folk costumes issued by the painter J. Frich in 1848. (Although he seemingly signed his paintings.) there was, however, numerous others making such studies. The German text can readily be explained. In Europe in the decades after 1820, there was a large interest in folklore, folk costumes, folk tales, etc. This was the time of romanticism (and national romanticism). The ultimate ideal was the people least influenced by the degrading urbanism, civilication, etc. And thus, rural Norway (+ Sweden, Iceland) gained considerable interest, especially in Germany, where they saw us as the most pure and unspoiled germanics.