Harald Kihle

Harald Kihle (3 July 1905 – 2 August 1997) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator. He is particularly known for his pictures with motifs from Telemark.

Personal life Kihle was born in Horten; the son of Anton Jørgensen and Mina Gunelia Halvorsdatter Leikås. In 1930 he married Ingrid Kirsten Olsen. From the 1950s the family settled in the artists' community at Ekely in Oslo. He died in Oslo in 1997, 92 years old.

Career Kihle studied at the Statens håndverks- og kunstindustriskole from 1926 to 1929, and later with Henrik Sørensen, Axel Revold, Per Krohg and Marcel Gromaire. He is particularly known for his motifs from Telemark. In 1947 he built a summerhouse at the farm Negarden in Smørklepp, and spent many summers there with his wife. He worked together with fellow painter Henrik Sørensen, who also spent summers at Smørklepp. In Telemark Kihle found inspiration from the nature of the valley Botnedalen in Mo Municipality, including the mountain farm Ripilen, and was a frequent guest at the Mo Vicarage. He was inspired by the legends of "Storegut" and "Guro Heddelid".

From the early 1930s Kihle typically used earthen colors and a primitive painting style. Later his paintings became brighter and the style more sophisticated.