Paper short abstract:

What were the rules for painters in late 18th century Hälsingland and did they break them? This is the main question asked in this paper dealing with theoretical aspects of the decorating of farm houses and churches. The aim is to explore new ways of understanding a complex culture.

Paper long abstract:

The research questions asked in this paper are: What were the rules for painters in late 18th century Hälsingland and did they break them? What happened if someone broke the rules? Both folk art painters and painters in the guild system decorated festivity rooms in farms and churches in Hälsingland in the late 1700s, but did they act in different ways and if so, how? How was their work received by consumers? Did the folk art painters relate to the same work structures as the guild system painters did or did they create their own?

Preserved paintings in situ and in museums, church records and folklore collections are examples of material used for this study, which will be discussed with theories from e.g. Bourdieu. The aim is to explore new ways of understanding a complex culture in the point of intersection between folk art and guild art in which the UNESCO World heritage Decorated farmhouses of Hälsingland is part of.