The genealogy, the family history of Pål Olson Grøt, small parts of it, are registered in several books and websites.
In the book Rosemåling i Hallingdal,[1] the author Nils Ellingsgard writes that Grøt painted himself on a wooden coffer, and named himself Paul Olsen Neeraal, born on December 15, 1813.
The date of his death, in 1906, is not registered in the Hol Kirkebog,[2] probably because Grøt lived in Hovet, Buskerud at that time.
In MyHeritage Pål Olson Grøt is named Paul Olsen Grøtt,[4] born December 13, 1813, died February 1, 1906.
Nils Ellingsgard mentions in his book that several children of Pål Olson Grøt moved to the United States.
In 1852 Pål Olson Nerolshaugen moved to Hovet, and started living on a farm, built on a land with the name Grøt.
It came into existence around 1750, when Baroque and Rococo, artistic styles of the upper class, were introduced into Norway's rural culture.
Pål Grøt was a pupil of Nils Bæra[9] in Ål and became one of the most important rosemåling painters in Hol.
His wooden box painting usually has a basic theme and the middle motifs are often animal figures or houses.
From the early 1830s rosemåling was Pål Olson Grøt's main activity, but he was also a skilled carpenter and wood carver.
The Hallingdal rosemaling style, also used by Grøt, is symmetrical, similar to a butterfly, with a center and a left and right-hand side that mirror each other.