Swedish Painted Marriage Box (Hälsingland Style), Dated 1805

A finely painted pine marriage or dowry box, dated 1805, in the Swedish folk-art tradition. The exterior retains its original soft blue-green ground and elegant hand-painted floral motifs in the rosmålning style. The front bears initials and the date, framed by tendril roses and foliage. The lid features a central bouquet in the same decorative vocabulary. A heart-shaped iron escutcheon anchors the design with the period.

This box belongs to the Hälsingland decorative painting tradition, where from the late 18th to mid-19th centuries local artists and itinerants decorated furniture and interiors with vibrant folk motifs. Known painters such as Jöns Månsson are part of that genre, and the box’s style, date, and concept align with northern Swedish region’s painted heritage.

Showing periods of wear and surface loss, the decoration remains expressive and stable. Its inscriptions, traditional motifs, and regional connection make it a culturally resonant and decorative highlight for collectors of Scandinavian folk art.