Axel Revold
A Norwegian painter who fused modern French color with Nordic light, shaping a generation of artists as a commanding professor.
1887–1962 (age 75)·Norwegian painter·Birthday: December 24·The Lost Generation
Biography
Axel Revold emerged as a pivotal figure in 20th-century Norwegian art, not just through his brush but through his classroom. After formative years in Paris absorbing the lessons of Matisse and Cubism, he returned to Norway determined to marry that modern European sensibility with the stark, luminous landscapes of his homeland. His large-scale murals, often for public buildings, brought a new monumental energy to Norwegian painting. For two decades, he held the influential post of professor at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts, where his rigorous teaching and clear artistic vision directly molded the post-war generation. His legacy is that of a bridge-builder, importing continental modernism and adapting it to create a distinctly Norwegian modern voice, ensuring the nation's art moved confidently into a new era.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Axel was born in 1887, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Axel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1887
Axel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1887Born
President: Grover Cleveland
1892Started school
President: Benjamin Harrison
1900Became a teenager
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1903Could drive
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1905Could vote
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Turned 21
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1917Turned 30
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 40
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1937Turned 50
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 60
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 70
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Died at 75
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
Key Achievements
- Served as a professor at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts for twenty years, influencing a generation of painters.
- Pioneered the integration of French modernist techniques, particularly from Henri Matisse, into Norwegian landscape and mural painting.
- Executed significant public mural commissions that brought modern art into Norwegian civic architecture.
- Was decorated with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for his contributions to Norwegian culture.
Did You Know?
He initially studied to be a naval officer before turning to art.
His 1915 painting 'The Quarry Workers' is considered a landmark of Norwegian cubism.
He was part of the 'Parisianers,' a group of Norwegian artists who studied in Paris in the early 1900s.
“The Norwegian light demands a new palette, one of chalk and granite and deep blue shadow.”
