Otto Valstad (11 December 1862 – 20 June 1950) was a Norwegian educator, painter, book illustrator and children's writer.

Biography

He was born at

Asker Asker (), also called Asker proper (''Askerbygda'' or ''gamle Asker'' in Norwegian), is a district and former Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Akershus, Norway, located approximately 20km southwest of Oslo. From 2020 it is part of the ...

Akershus Akershus () is a county in Norway, with Oslo as its administrative centre, though Oslo is not located within Akershus. Akershus has been a region in Eastern Norway with Oslo as its main city since the Middle Ages, and is named after the Akers ...

, Norway. He was the son of Andreas Olsen Valstad (1828–1911) and Lisa Johansdatter Solstad (1836–1906). Valstad was an elementary school teacher until 1899. From the 1880s, he painted, especially landscapes, portraits and popular genres. He was a student at the

Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry The National College of Art and Design () was established in 1818. In 1996, the National College of Art and Design became part of Oslo National Academy of the Arts (''Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo'', KHiO), along with the Norwegian National Academy of ...

under Johan Nordhagen and later briefly attended

Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

during 1897. In 1893, he married novelist Mathilde Georgine "Tilla" Valstad (1871–1957). Otto and Tilla Valstad were avid art collectors and their home in Hvalstad became a cultural centre. In 1949, they willed their property to Asker municipality. His works are displayed at Asker Museum together with an extensive collection of art and cultural-historical objects. Among his books are ''Juletræet'' from 1891, ''Smaakarer'' from 1910, ''Ola Enfoldig'' from 1916 and ''Ola Mangfoldig'' from 1923. He is represented in the

National Gallery of Norway The National Gallery () is a gallery in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. History It was established in 1842 following a parliamentary decision from 1836. Originally lo ...

with the portrait ''Fru Lina Brun'' from 1901.

References

External links

Asker museum website
1862 births 1950 deaths People from Asker Oslo National Academy of the Arts alumni Norwegian educators 19th-century Norwegian painters 20th-century Norwegian painters Norwegian male painters 19th-century Norwegian illustrators 20th-century Norwegian illustrators Norwegian children's writers Norwegian children's book illustrators Norwegian portrait painters Norwegian landscape painters 19th-century Norwegian male artists 20th-century Norwegian male artists {{norway-painter-stub