Torolf Prytz (26 December 1858 – 16 June 1938) was a Norwegian architect, goldsmith and politician for the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

. He led the goldsmith company ''J. Tostrup'' of Oslo from 1890 to 1938, having inherited it from his grandfather-in-law

Jacob Tostrup Jacob Ulrich Holfeldt Tostrup (1 July 1806 – 31 January 1890) was a Norwegian jeweler, goldsmith and silversmith. Biography Tostrup was born at Hjelmeland, in Rogaland county, Norway. He was the son of infantry captain Nicolay Tostrup (1768� ...

. He also served as Norwegian Minister of Industrial Provisioning from 1917 to 1918 and President of the

Norwegian Red Cross The Norwegian Red Cross (''Norges Røde Kors'') was founded on 22 September 1865 by prime minister Frederik Stang. In 1895 the Norwegian Red Cross began educating nurses, and in 1907 the Norwegian Ministry of Defence authorized the organization ...

from 1922 to 1930.

Background

He was born in

Alstahaug Municipality Alstahaug is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandnessjøen. Some of the villages in Alstahaug include Søvika and Tjøtta. Most resi ...

Nordland Nordland (; , , , ) is one of the three northernmost Counties of Norway, counties in Norway in the Northern Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Trøndelag in the south, Norrbotten County in Sweden to the east, Västerbotten County to t ...

, Norway. He was the son of bailiff Eiler Hagerup Krog Prytz, Sr. (1812–1900) and his wife Anne Margrethe Thomessen (1820–1900). The family moved to Christiania (now Oslo) when he was 12 years old. Prytz went to Kristiania Technical School. After completing his education at the polytechnic college of the

University of Hannover Leibniz University Hannover (), also known as the University of Hannover, is a public research university located in Hanover, Germany. Founded on 2 May 1831 as Higher Vocational School, the university has undergone six periods of renaming, its ...

, he was an assistant of architects

Georg Andreas Bull Georg Andreas Bull (26 March 1829 – 1 February 1917) was a Norwegian architect and chief building inspector in Oslo, Christiania (now Oslo) for forty years. He was among the major architects in the country, and performed surveying studies and ...

and

Henrik Thrap-Meyer Henrik Thrap-Meyer (31 July 1833 – 29 December 1910) was a Norwegian architect. He is most associated with a wide range of significant buildings, including churches and schools. Thrap-Meyer was born in Bergen, Norway. He was the son of J ...

Career

He started a cooperation with goldsmith Oluf Tostrup, a son of goldsmith

and co-owner in his company ''J. Tostrup''. Prytz became formally affiliated with ''J. Tostrup'' in 1882, when Oluf Tostrup died. In 1884, after two years of studying, he was promoted from head designer to co-owner. When Jacob Tostrup died in 1890, Prytz bought the entire company, retaining the tradename. He was an innovative

filigree Filigree (also less commonly spelled ''filagree'', and formerly written ''filigrann'' or ''filigrene'') is a form of intricate metalwork used in jewellery and other small forms of metalwork. In jewellery, it is usually of gold and silver, m ...

designer, and strengthened the company's position as one of the leading goldsmith companies in Norway. In 1898, he was behind the moving into a new store, ''Tostrupgården'' on Karl Johans gate which was built between 1893 and 1898 with Prytz,

Waldemar Hansteen Albert Waldemar Hansteen (25 May 1857 - 4 May 1921) was a Norwegian architect. Biography Hansteen was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the son of Supreme Court Attorney Christopher Hansteen (1822–1912) and Lagertha Cecilie Wulf ...

and Christian Fürst as architects. He served as a deputy representative to the

Norwegian Parliament The Storting ( ; ) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years based on party-list proportional represe ...

during the term 1900–1903, representing the constituency of ''Kristiania, Hønefoss og Kongsvinger'', and served as Minister of Industrial Provisioning from 1917 to 1918. From 1922 to 1930 he was the President of the

. Prytz also chaired the board of ''Den norske Husflidsforening'' from 1907 to 1935, the

National Institute of Technology The National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are Centrally Funded Technical Institutes, centrally funded technical institutes under the ownership of the Ministry of Education (India), Ministry of Education, Government of India. They are gover ...

from 1916 to 1935 and the

Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design The Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design () is a museum in Oslo, Norway. Its collection includes clothing, textile, furniture, silver, glass, ceramics, and handicrafts. Since 2003, the museum has been administratively a part of the Na ...

from 1929 to 1934. He was among the founders of ''Den norske Husflidsforening'' and the National Institute of Technology, as well the ''Norges Gullsmedforbund''. He served as a member of the board of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design from 1884 to 1934, ''Den norske Husflidsforening'' from 1891 to 1937 and 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 ...

from 1892 to 1900 and 1904 to 1928.

Personal life

In July 1882, he married Hilda Nicoline Marie Tostrup (1861–1947), a granddaughter of Jacob Tostrup. Prytz was the father of Anne-Margrethe Cappelen Prytz (1888–1960), who was married to Erik Cappelen Knudsen (1882–1954), eldest son of Prime Minister

Gunnar Knudsen Gunnar Knudsen (19 September 1848 – 1 December 1928), born Aanon Gunerius Knudsen, was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party who served as the prime minister of Norway twice from 1908 to 1910 and from 1913 to 1920. He also inherited a s ...

. He was also the father of Jakob Tostrup Prytz (1886–1962) who followed him into the management of ''J. Tostrup''. He was the grandfather of jewelry designers

Grete Prytz Kittelsen Grete Prytz Kittelsen (born Adelgunde Margrethe Prytz, June 28, 1917, Oslo, died September 25, 2010, Oslo), was a Norwegian goldsmith, enamel artist, and designer. She is one of the most well-known Norwegians in the Scandinavian Design movement ...

and Jakob Tostrup Prytz, jr. He was also an uncle of Eiler Prytz who became a co-owner of ''J. Tostrup''. He was made a Commander of the

Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

and a Knight of the French

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

. Torolf Prytz died in June 1938 at

Vestre Aker Vestre Aker (Western Aker) is a List of boroughs of Oslo, borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. It has a population of 50,157 as of 2020. The previous Aker Municipality was merged into the city of Oslo in 1948. The borough of Vestre Aker was org ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prytz, Torolf 1858 births 1938 deaths People from Alstahaug Leibniz University Hannover alumni Architects from Oslo Norwegian goldsmiths Deputy members of the Storting Government ministers of Norway Politicians from Oslo Liberal Party (Norway) politicians Presidents of the Norwegian Red Cross Knights of the Legion of Honour