With a stomping of snowy boots in the entryway, Torjus carried in an armful of firewood.

Liv glanced up from rolling flatbread. "Where's your cap? You're covered in snow!"

The 17-year-old shook his head like a hound. "I worked up a sweat. Last thing I need is a cap." He dumped the seasoned wood in a box by the hearth. The smell of freshly cut spruce wafted through the smoky cabin.

"Don't leave the axe in the yard."

"I'll get it, don't worry." Torjus looked around. "Where's Little Anne?"

Liv paused, scanning the room. "I thought she was sketching in her corner."

"Her coat isn't on its hook. I'll bet she's out in the loft again. Take her a hot brick?"

Liv nodded and went back to rolling.

Torjus prodded a brick from its warming spot in the embers, wrapped it in rags, and strode out.

"Don't forget the axe!" Liv called after him.

As he crossed the snow-packed courtyard, Torjus sized up his afternoon's work, piled under the eaves. A whole sledge-load of firewood, split and stacked, and not a blister to show for it. He swung his arms to limber the muscles after all that labor. Not an ache. His fingers? Still nimble enough to dance on the violin.

Whiffles of snow already coated the wood chips around the chopping block where the axe leaned, waiting to retire indoors. Torjus nodded as he strode past. "I'll be back for you in a minute."

He climbed the ladder to the guest room above the loft and poked his head in.

Sure enough, there stood Little Anne, all bundled up – and drawing on the flat planked walls with a piece of charcoal.

Torjus stood staring, his gaze traveling over the life-size figures. "Hmph," he sniffed.

Little Anne turned with a start. "Don't tell," she begged him. "Not until I'm finished. It's my Jul gift to Far and Mor."

"That's Sigrid," Torjus said, amazed at the likeness, though it was still only roughly sketched in.

Piles of birchbark sat in one corner – the sketchpad of the 21-year-old artist. Brushes and pots of paint stood ready.

Torjus watched as she moved to start on the next figure. He recognized it as Tarald almost at once. But before long he began to laugh. "They're naked!"

"It's Adam and Eve," Anne said gravely. "They're supposed to be naked."

"Sigrid will be most annoyed." Torjus laughed and handed Little Anne the warm brick. "I can't wait to see her face!"

He was still grinning when he went back to the cabin.

"The axe?" Liv said.

Torjus whooped at himself and went back out once more.

* * *

By Christmas of 1782 the painting was finished. Liv and Halvor were astonished at the elegance of the artwork, and word of the mural spread.

Tarald had a good laugh when he saw it, and Sigrid blushed, then commented, "I love the way you painted the apple tree. How about putting in the old currant and raspberry bushes, too – in the foreground?"

.

BEHIND THE SCENES

One source mentions a painting of Adam and Eve in the loft at Homme, dating from 1782; another mentions a painted carving. Neither say who the artist was. Tarald and Sigrid most likely were not the models!

Sadly, there were no buildings still standing at Homme when I visited.

Here is a sample of the art style in Telemark in that general era. This was painted on the side of a chest by Bjørn Bjaalid in 1834.

Found on: https://www.grind.no/en/livelihood-and-craftsmanship/vernacular-arts-and-crafts

...along with a fascinating article (fascinating to me, anyway) about the traveling artists of East Norway.