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Theodor Severin Kittelsen was a Norwegian artist who is still known today for his depictions of nature and illustrations of fairy tales and legends. He was born in the idyllic coastal town of Kragerø. Already in his childhood Kittelsen had to cope with the loss of his father. From then on, his mother had to look after a total of eight children on her own. The time was emotionally and financially difficult for the family. At the age of eleven, Kittelsen began training as a watchmaker. Thus Kittelsen did not find his way to art directly, but via detours. When he was 17 years old, his artistic talent was discovered. From then on, he learned painting and drawing techniques at an art school in Christiania, now Oslo. His artistic talent was discovered by the Norwegian lawyer Diderich Maria Aall. His discoverer asked for financial support for his artistic education. Thanks to this support he was able to realize his studies at the Munich Academy of Art. From 1879 onwards, the lawyer could no longer afford the financial support. From then on Kittelsen financed his studies himself by making drawings for German newspapers and magazines. After his studies, Kittelsen worked as a caricaturist, genre painter and illustrator. In 1882 he received a state scholarship for further studies in Paris. Five years later he decided to return to his home country Norway. There he was strongly inspired by nature in his works. He spent almost two years with his sister and his brother-in-law in the quiet seclusion of the Lofoten Islands. It was at this time that he began to write texts for his works of art.
From 1899 he lived with a family in a residential studio which he himself called Lauvlia. The time there belongs to the most successful creative period of his artistic life. His painting style can be classified as neo-romantic and naive. In his home country Theodor Severin Kittelsen was quite popular. However, he did not achieve an international breakthrough. The Norwegians associate artists like Kittelsen and Erik Theodor Werenskiold with the fairytale world of their own country. Peter Christen Asbjørnsen's fairy tale collection contains illustrations by both artists. Peter Christen Asbjørnsens was a well-known Norwegian folklore collector who appreciated Kittelsen's talent and painting style. In 1908 the artist was pleased to be appointed knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. In 1910 he left Lauvlia. He was forced to sell his residential studio for financial and health reasons. Although he received an artist's grant in 1911, he spent the last three years of his life in poverty until his death in 1914. Posterity will remember Theodor Severin Kittelsen with his idyllic depictions of nature and his fantastic and fairytale works. It is said in Norway that people only know what a Norwegian troll actually looks like through Kittelsen's works. His works of art are still known today. Some of his drawings decorate the record covers of two metal bands from Norway.
Theodor Severin Kittelsen was a Norwegian artist who is still known today for his depictions of nature and illustrations of fairy tales and legends. He was born in the idyllic coastal town of Kragerø. Already in his childhood Kittelsen had to cope with the loss of his father. From then on, his mother had to look after a total of eight children on her own. The time was emotionally and financially difficult for the family. At the age of eleven, Kittelsen began training as a watchmaker. Thus Kittelsen did not find his way to art directly, but via detours. When he was 17 years old, his artistic talent was discovered. From then on, he learned painting and drawing techniques at an art school in Christiania, now Oslo. His artistic talent was discovered by the Norwegian lawyer Diderich Maria Aall. His discoverer asked for financial support for his artistic education. Thanks to this support he was able to realize his studies at the Munich Academy of Art. From 1879 onwards, the lawyer could no longer afford the financial support. From then on Kittelsen financed his studies himself by making drawings for German newspapers and magazines. After his studies, Kittelsen worked as a caricaturist, genre painter and illustrator. In 1882 he received a state scholarship for further studies in Paris. Five years later he decided to return to his home country Norway. There he was strongly inspired by nature in his works. He spent almost two years with his sister and his brother-in-law in the quiet seclusion of the Lofoten Islands. It was at this time that he began to write texts for his works of art.
From 1899 he lived with a family in a residential studio which he himself called Lauvlia. The time there belongs to the most successful creative period of his artistic life. His painting style can be classified as neo-romantic and naive. In his home country Theodor Severin Kittelsen was quite popular. However, he did not achieve an international breakthrough. The Norwegians associate artists like Kittelsen and Erik Theodor Werenskiold with the fairytale world of their own country. Peter Christen Asbjørnsen's fairy tale collection contains illustrations by both artists. Peter Christen Asbjørnsens was a well-known Norwegian folklore collector who appreciated Kittelsen's talent and painting style. In 1908 the artist was pleased to be appointed knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. In 1910 he left Lauvlia. He was forced to sell his residential studio for financial and health reasons. Although he received an artist's grant in 1911, he spent the last three years of his life in poverty until his death in 1914. Posterity will remember Theodor Severin Kittelsen with his idyllic depictions of nature and his fantastic and fairytale works. It is said in Norway that people only know what a Norwegian troll actually looks like through Kittelsen's works. His works of art are still known today. Some of his drawings decorate the record covers of two metal bands from Norway.