Dala Horse with “Little Western Flowers”

You might have seen the Dalecarlian Horse or Dala Horse, a famous symbol of Sweden and Swedish handicraft. It’s a traditional wooden statuette of a horse, originating in the Swedish province of Dalarna. They say the long winter evenings, wood scraps from the local furniture-making trade and paint-pigment from nearby copper mines bred the development of the Dala Horse. It is today one of few living folk traditions: skills for creating the horse have been, and still is, passed from generation to generation.

Now, did you know that there are several different designs available of the wooden horse? Here’s the finest piece, called “Ludvikahästen”. It has Little Western Flowers painted on it. Or Heartsease (Viola tricolor).