Oluf Wold-Torne

Oluf Wold-Torne (7 November 1867 – 19 March 1919) was a Norwegian painter, illustrator, educator and designer. He was known primarily for landscapes and still-lifes and was influenced by Cézanne.

Biography He was born in Son (now Vestby), Norway. He was the son of Oluf Emil Wold (1826–67) and Marie Therese Ottesen (1838–193). His father had been in the timber business, but went bankrupt and died before he was born. In 1869 his mother married merchant Søren Thorne (1817-1900). He grew up in the village of Hølen in Akershus where his step-father owned a general store.

In 1893, he traveled to Paris with his friend, Thorvald Erichsen, and studied with Fernand Cormon and Alfred Philippe Roll. He then lived in Florence for a year from 1895 to 1896. In 1897, he designed currency for the Norges Bank. He had his first major exhibit in 1899 at the Høstutstillingen in Oslo.

Personal life His wife was the painter and textile artist, Kristine Laache (1867–1946), daughter of Nils Jacob Laache, Bishop of Trondheim. Together, they created designs for stained glass, stationery and jewelry. Periodically between 1907 and 1910, he also designed porcelain and ceramics for the Porsgrund Porcelain Factory.

Awards He received 1st prize at the Kunstindustrimuseet in Oslo (1898). He was awarded a bronze medal for Verdensutst (1900) at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. He was awarded the Finnes legat (1894), Houens legat (1904) and Rasmus Meyers legat (1917).

He is represented in the National Gallery (Nasjonalgalleriet) by a number of his works including Kunstnerens hustru, malerinnen Kristine f. Laache (1899), Hest i fjellet (ca. 1902), Fajansekatten (1907) and Blått badehus (1911).

Gallery