Norwegian Theodor Kittelsen is one of my very favourite artists. I love his mysterious pictures based on Scandinavian folklore. They capture these stories perfectly and have the kind of mood I wish I could create in my own pictures.

My favourite Kittelsen picture, Nøkken.

Pesta i trappen, the plague on the stairs.

De hadde i nattens stillhet lurt ham vekk, sort of “they had led him away in the stillness of the night”.

Guldhornet, The golden horn.

Heksen, the witch.

Nøkken som hvit hest, the neck as a white horse.

Musstad. Not entirely sure what this means, but something with mice. It’s another one from the plague series.

Sjøormen, the sea serpent.

Vastroldet som levede af bare jomfrukjod, sort of “the reed troll who ate only maiden meat”, I think.