Illustrations for the Asbjørnsen and Moe collection of Norske Folkeeventyr defined the visual landscape of Norwegian folklore for generations. Erik Theodor Werenskiold, a painter and graphic artist, produced these definitive images while balancing a career as a portraitist, genre painter, and lithographer in Oslo and across Europe.
Early Development and Training
Born in 1855 at Granli gaard in Eidskog, Werenskiold spent his formative years at Kongsvinger Fortress. He attended the Aars og Voss school in Christiania before pursuing artistic training. He studied at the Drawing School under sculptor Julius Middelthun during 1873 and later spent time in the studio of Axel Ender in 1875. His formal education included time at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry.
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Werenskiold moved to Munich, where he lived for four years. The 1879 French art exhibition in the city introduced him to the plein air movement, specifically the work of Charles-François Daubigny, which influenced his departure from traditional German studio techniques. Following a health crisis in 1880 that paralyzed his right arm, he spent time recovering in Switzerland before relocating to Paris from 1881 to 1883. He continued his studies under Léon Bonnat in the late 1880s and undertook later study trips to Rome and Florence in 1895.
Illustrations and Portraiture
The artist maintained a prolific output in book illustration, notably collaborating with Theodor Kittelsen on folktale collections. His contributions include three volumes of Eventyrbog for Børn published between 1882 and 1887, as well as a new edition of the Snorri Sturlason Heimskringla. His portraiture serves as a historical archive of prominent Norwegians of his era, complementing his landscape paintings of rural peasants.
Recognition and Legacy
The Norwegian government granted him a national artist salary beginning in 1908. His civil service honors included multiple ranks within the Order of St. Olav, culminating in the Knight Grand Cross in 1935. He also held the title of Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog. Werenskiold died in 1938 and was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund in Oslo.
Fast facts
- Born: 1855, Eidskog Municipality
- Died: 1938, Oslo
- Nationality: Norway
- Notable Award: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
- Spouse: Sophie Marie Stoltenberg Thomesen
- Notable Child: Werner Werenskiold, Dagfin Werenskiold
- Education: Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry
Questions readers ask
What is Erik Werenskiold most famous for?
Where did Werenskiold train as an artist?
He studied at the Drawing School in Christiania and the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry, while also working under tutors like Julius Middelthun.
Achievements
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav