Trollkjerringen I Bergskorten 

Theodor Kittelsen made this drawing of a troll woman in Norway, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The image conjures up folklore, and ideas about nature and the uncanny. Kittelsen's trolls emerge from a cultural context deeply invested in ideas of nationhood and romanticism. During this period, Norway was seeking to establish its identity. Artists turned to folklore to express the spirit of the nation. The troll woman in the mountains evokes the wildness of the Norwegian landscape and the old folk stories passed down through generations. Kittelsen was commissioned to illustrate Norwegian Folktales collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe, and his visual interpretations became central to the popular idea of trolls. It’s important to remember that folklore is not just innocent entertainment. These stories helped to define a sense of collective identity. Looking at Kittelsen's images helps us understand the complex relationship between art, national identity, and the construction of cultural heritage.