Sorenskrivergården 2022 Foto Torgil Pålsrud

Torgil Pålsrud/Hallingdal Museum

“Experience the history of Nesbyen through the eyes of the artists”

About Nesbyen Art Landsacpe

In Art Landscape Nesbyen you can experience life in Old Nes around the middle of the 19th century, and how Nesbyen and Hallingdal inspired several well-known artists who worked within the period of national romanticism. Art Landscape Nesbyen is located in historic Sorenskrivergården, the seat of the Court of Hallingdal Judge. From 1843, the Judge was Ove Gude, the father of famous painter Hans Gude. Hans Gude visited his parents there many times, and brought along several of his artist friends. They all found inspiration in the nature and people they found in Nesbyen.

Visit us, and experience:

The exhibition «Into the art» at Sorenskrivergården, Møllevegen 5A
Outdoor Escape-experience (in Norwegian) – can be booked via Nesbyen Historiske Opplevelser
Larger groups of more than 10 people can also book guided tours, get in touch with us for bookings
Walk the art hike, a path that will take you along the river Rukkedøla, to places found in old and new paintings

Kunstvandring Foto Henriette Rødland 2022

Henriette Rødland/Hallingdal Museum

Art hike: See Nesbyen through the eyes of the artists

Hans Gude, son of the Judge, was a regular visitor to Sorenskrivergården and to Nesbyen. He often invited friends and colleagues to join him there: the painters Adolph Tidemand and Bernt Lund, the composer Halfdan Kjerulf, the author Jørgen Moe and many others.

Today you can visit the landscapes they chose to paint, by walking along the route called Kunstvandringen or the «art hike». Here you can see pictures of the paintings the artists made during their stay in Nesbyen. Even composers and authors found inspiration here. Scroll down to see a map of the art hike.

Click the points on the map to see more information. You can also click “Read more” at a point and scroll between them.

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Exhibition: Into the art

Office building

The exhibition «Into the art» can be viewed in the old office building at Sorenskrivergården. Here you will journey into the art of Hans Gude and his colleagues in Norway and Europe. You will also explore the historic environment of Nesbyen as Hans Gude would have seen it, in the middle of the 19th century. Two original artworks by Hans Gude are also on display in the exhibition.

Washhouse

In the old washhouse are mounted five portraits of people from Nesbyen. Two of them: «Halling girl» and the portrait of Ole Olsen were made by Hans Gude’s friend Adolph Tidemand. The other three are drawings by the painter Eilif Peterssen who lived much later.

Hageselskap Sorenskrivergården Tuva Huseby foto Vibeke Hjønnevåg

Vibeke Hjønnevåg/Hallingdal Museum

Olsgård

The home and office of the Court of Hallingdal Judges

In the mid-1800´s Nesbyen was just a small village, but was the centre of the Court of Hallingdal Judges from 1825. The first to be appointed a Judge of Hallingdal chose this farm, Olsgård, as their home and office.

The farm itself has been known through written sources since the 1500´s, but is probably a lot older. The main house was built in late 1820s, but an extra part was added in 1877. The office-building was built in 1828, burnt down in 1829 and rebuilt right away.

In 1845 the farm was finally bought by the state and made the official home and office for the Court of Hallingdal Judges. At that time the Judge was Ove Gude, the father of the painter Hans Gude. And that is the start of our story and journey into the art of Hans Gude and the art of national romanticism in Norway.