Eastern Norway » Haukdalen Kunstnarheim

Haukdalen
occupies a peaceful and idyllic setting on the sunny side at Flatmogrenda, in the village of Lia in Lom. This traditional smallholding is a farmstead of quaint old wooden buildings surrounded by a colourful, abundant garden. We at Haukdalen can offer you pleasant strolls in the cosy farmyard, we can furnish an insight into the lives of Kitty and Gustav Wentzel, and show you the works of this famous painter. We take you rambling on the old forest path to Furuheim, Wenzel's home and atelier. On Liafjellet you will find relics of ancient hunting cultures, plus a great view of Jotunheimen.

Nils Gustav Wentzel
(Nils) Gustav Wentzel, 1859-1927, was born in Oslo and died in Lom. Gustav Wentzel was often on the road during a period when he lived in Asker, visited North Gudbrandsdalen several times. Early in the 1900s, he made several trips to Vågå where he lived variously at Sandbu, Kvarberg and Sve. He brought the family on these painting trips. In 1915 the eldest son Jørgen married Magnhild Prestjordet from Skjåk. They moved to the smallholding Høgbrenna at Lia, where they lived for four years. Gustav often visited and became very fond of the place. In 1919 together with Jørgen he bought Furuheim, where they built a house with a studio on the second floor overlooking Lomseggen.

Kitty Wentzel
was born in Christiania on 08/09/1868 to Frederik Samuel Bætzman and Karen Marie (née Fougner). Kitty grew up partly in Christiania with her parents and partly with her grandparents: the Fougners at Li farm in Bergen, and later, with Police Chief Samuel Severin Betzman and his wife Christiane Schive Bætzman in Trondheim, until she was seven years old. She then returned to Christiania and subsequently travelled with the family to Paris, where she spent her youth, attending Saint Joseph's convent school. Her education there was rigorous and comprehensive, with memorization of geography and history, poetry and excerpts from the classics. One great experience was a procession to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica at Montmartre, which was under construction. Kitty Wentzel was one of the first female journalists in Norway, where among other things she was sent to Paris by Aftenposten newspaper. She published a book about Nils Gustav Wentzel in 1957; Fra mitt livs karusell ("From the Carousel of My Life") in 1960 and Bordet glæder ("Joys of the Table ") in collaboration with Øvre Richter Frich in 1925. All her books have been re-released in recent years and are available at Haukdalen Kunstnarheim.