Selbu Regional Dress, Norwegian Folk Attire with Stone Quarry Scene, c.1860

Norwegian Folk Costumes from Selboe, Tonsberg Edition, 1860s

This 19th-century chromolithograph presents a rural scene with figures in traditional dress from Selboe (modern-day Selbu), a region in Trøndelag county, central Norway. The print features two men standing in front of large circular millstones, suggesting a setting near a stone quarry or grinding mill, while a woman sits nearby smoking a clay pipe, accompanied by a dog.

The man at center wears a red vest beneath a long white coat, tan breeches, dark stockings, and black shoes. His red and blue wool cap is distinctive and similar to other regional headwear styles from mid-19th century Norway. The younger man has his back turned to the viewer and wears a darker grey tunic, white trousers, and a black and white cap. The seated woman wears a simple yellowish-brown jacket, black skirt, and red stockings, her head covered with a dark scarf. Her relaxed pose and the presence of the dog lend an informal, everyday feel to the image.

This is Plate 12 from the renowned series Udvalgte Norske Nationaldragter, or Selected Norwegian National Costumes. The series was published by Chr. Tonsberg in Christiania (now Oslo), lithographed in Berlin by Winckelmann and Sonner, and based on a composition by L. Hansen after Johan Fredrik Eckersberg. Produced in the 1860s, the series was a celebration of Norway’s regional dress traditions, preserving visual records of clothing and daily life during a period of strong national romanticism.

This plate is notable for its emphasis on working life rather than festivity, providing insight into rural labor and attire in 19th-century Norway.

Condition:

The image itself is in good overall condition. The image area is clean and bright with strong colors, but the outside the image is fair, with is foxing and staining in the margins, particularly around the edges of the sheet.

Framing tips:

Frame with a wide cream or off-white mount to neutralize the foxing in the margins. Use a rustic or dark wood frame to complement the earthy tones. Ideal for ethnographic or industrial heritage themes.