A Star on my Wall

This is Stjerna (the norwegian word for star). The photo was taken sometime in the 1940s or 1950s. It is a large picture that hangs on my wall. There are several reasons why this image stirs both wonder and strong emotions for me.

I never met Stjerna, but I grew up with the stories about her. She was the horse on the farm back home at Haukeland, my grandmother told me. My grandmother lived in Arna, outside Bergen.

“Tell me about Stjerna, Grandma!”

Stjerna was an incredible horse. She was an outstanding trotting horse, owned by my grandmother’s father. But she was also incredibly gentle and highly valued. The story of this wonderful horse ended tragically—she died of tetanus. The medicine, which had been ordered from Oslo, arrived by train as it passed the farm, just as the horse died, my grandmother told me.

Was it exactly like that, or was the story told in such a way to make it even more dramatic? I will probably never know. Unfortunately, I don’t remember many of the details about Stjerna. But the stories about this beautiful horse were among my favourites to hear. “Tell me about Stjerna, Grandma!” And Grandma told the story.

An elaborate picture

Then you look at the picture itself. It is large. Not unusual in our time, but of the other photos in my grandparents’ house—wedding pictures and portraits of close family—none were more than a quarter the size of this picture. I should add that I got the picture from my grandmother’s sister—it hung at her place before I got it.

The frame was ornate and beautiful. Unfortunately, it was stored in a damp basement for a while before I got the picture, and the decorations have crumbled away. I still want it as it is.

They brought in a photographer, posed the horse, and ordered an elaborate portrait of Stjerna. As if that were not enough, the picture has been edited. Originally, a person was standing in front of Stjerna, holding her. It was probably someone in the family. But this person has been edited out.

This picture had room for only one star.

The largest and finest picture in the living room was of a horse. And her memory lives on with me.