Peter Christen Asbjornsen (1812-1885) and Jorgen Engebretsen Moe (1813-1882) were scholars and collectors of Norwegian folklore. To Norwegians, the names Asbjornsen and Moe have become synonymous with traditional folk tales, the way the name "Brothers Grimm" is associated with German tales. This collection of 15 Norwegian folk tales includes all of Kay Nielsen's original 25 colour plates and the black and white illustrations. Nielsen (1886-1957) was a Danish illustrator known for his Art Nouveau style (see the Art Nouveau troll on page 176). This is a great book from the "golden age of illustration" which began c. 1900 when printing technology developed to the point that drawings and paintings could be reproduced with reasonable facility. The age lasted until c.1930, after which rising costs made such beautiful books unaffordable for much of the public. The stories combine realism with the supernatural in a combination sometimes strange, sometimes humorous.
