BORN: July 20, 1887 Bergen, Norway

DIED: January 24, 1983 Madison, WI

MARRIED:

TRAINING

Art Industrial School, Bergen, Norway with Koren Wilberg and Ansor Hansen

1909-1911 Art Institute of Chicago, evenings and summers

Anders Zorni

ART RELATED EMPLOYMENT

1924 Commissioned to paint fifteen portraits, Northwestern Universityii

TEACHING

RESIDENCES

1909 immigrated to Chicago

1945 Madison, Wisconsin

TRAVEL

1914 Norway; Sweden; Denmark; Englandiii

c.1942 Stone City, Iowa

MEMBERSHIPS/OFFICES

HONORS

1911 William O. Goodman First Prize, Art Students’ League of Chicagoiv

1914 Portrait of Mary and Louise Fenton, shown in private trustees’ room, Art Institute of Chicagov

1927 Oscar H. Haugan Prize, Chicago Norske Klub, Norwegian-American Artistsvi

1932 Municipal Art League Portrait Prize, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago & Vicinityvii

1938 Martin B. Cahn Prize, Art Institute of Chicago, American Annualviii

SELECTED JURIES SERVED

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Art Institute of Chicago, Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture by Artists Who Received Prizes In the Chicago Exhibitions for 1930, 1931, 1932, 7/21/1932

Carson Pirie Scott & Co. Gallery, Exhibition by Chicago Portrait Painters 1918ix

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual 1919

ONE, TWO OR THREE MAN EXHIBITIONS

1916 Moulton and Ricketts Gallery, Chicagox

1917 His studio at 19 E. Pearson, Chicagoxi

1939 Augustana Collegexii

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

Art Institute of Chicago, Winter, 1911 (deaccessioned)

Augustana College

Northwestern Universityxiii

St. Olaf College

Vesterheim Museum of Art, Decorah, Iowa

Wisconsin State Historical Society

INTERESTING NOTES

The critic Marion Nelson stated, “{He} is also unquestionably the finest portraitist of Norwegian background in America.”xiv For awhile in the 1910s he lived in Chicago’s Tree Studio building.

His portrait of Mrs. Paul Bartlett was given unusual press coverage upon its completion. “Figure Pulses With Life,” was one headline.xv

iThe Artists’ Guild Report, (Chicago: The Artists' Guild, March 1914), p.9.

ii“Will Paint Portraits for University,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 12/23/1924, p.8.

iiiChicago Record-Herald, 6/28/1914 in Art Institute of Chicago Scrapbooks, vol. 32. He was invited to Denmark by art Danish art critic George Brandes, who portrait Abrahamsen painted while the critic visited Chicago. The portrait is illustrated in this article.

ivChicago Examiner, 5/11/1911 in Art Institute of Chicago Scrapbooks, vol. 27. “My mother is so proud and happy! Of course I wrote the grand news to her as soon as the blue ribbon went on my picture. It’s wonderful everything that’s happened since that picture went into the exhibition.” “This painting is one of several that elicited Sorolla’s admiration. ‘Rare genius!’ the famous Spanish artist exclaimed when he closely studied Abrahamson’s canvas.” Sorolla went on to tell the young artist he will become a master and his fellow students cheered him on his success, marching him on their shoulders.

v“Portrait of Fenton’s Grand Daughters,” Chicago Evening Post, 6/27/1914 in Art Institute of Chicago Scrapbooks, vol. 32, p.13.

viThe prize was awarded his group of paintings, see: “Norwegian-American Show at Norske Club,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/22/1927, p.7.

viiThe prize was awarded his Portrait of Mr. J, “Chicago Show Prizes,” Chicago Evening Post, 2/2/1932, Art Section, p.5.

viiiThe prize was awarded his Spirit of the Clan.

ix“Exhibition by Chicago Portrait Painters,” Fine Arts Journal, Vol. 36, November 1918, pp.34-39. This show was very important as only Chicago’s “best” portrait artists, thirteen in all, were invited.

xMention was made in Anne Ellis, “Art,” Chicago Tribune, 3/19/1916, p.G5.

xiOne of his drawings of prominent people, Miss Ginerva King, was illustrated in “Comment by Mme. X,” Chicago Tribune, 12/9/1917, p.C4.

xiiLynn L. Ash, “Work of Norwegian Artist Who Did Andreen Portrait Being Shown at Augustana,” Rock Island Argus, 10/27/1939.

xiiiHis portrait of James Lambert High was illustrated in The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 4/24/1928, p.3.

xivNelson, Marion. Norway in American: Painting and Drawing. Vesterheim Museum, 1989.

xvH. Effa Webster, “Portrait By Chicago Artist Masterpiece,” Chicago Examiner, 8/29/1912 in Art Institute of Chicago Scrapbooks, vol. 29.