One of the strangest and most gifted rural craftsmen at Voss was Magnus Dagestad (1865-1957). He was trained in Lars Kinsarvik’s wood-carving school in Hardanger and worked for several years as a wood carver in Hardanger and in Bergen, before moving to Voss in 1902 together with his wife, the decorative painter Helena Dagestad.
Originally he carved in the old Romanesque style, but he gradually developed his own version of the Dragon style. The items that were produced at his workshop in Voss from 1902 were decorated by Helena, and furniture and other artefacts were sold all over the country. Later he tried to intermix with other styles based on Norwegian traditions. From 1905 to 1912 he ran the museum for art and design in Voss, and from 1920 to 1935 he was manager of the Norwegian handicraft school in Voss. Here craftsmen and women from all over the country received their training.
Magnus Dagestad was also a musician and writer, and he designed houses and furniture. He was a important person in the cultural life in the community right up to his death. Dagestad-Museet is situated at Gjernes right above the handicraft school, about two kilometres from Vossevangen. Here we can experience a close-up of the artist.
