Annelise Caroline Knudtzon née Kiær (1914–2006) was a Norwegian

textile artist Textile arts are arts and crafts that use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects. Textiles have been a fundamental part of human life since the beginning of civilization. The methods and materials u ...

. From 1946, she managed her own studio in Oslo where she and her employees produced brightly coloured hand-woven woolen fabrics, especially

upholstery Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word also refers to the materials used to upholster something. ''Upholstery'' comes from the Middle English word ...

. In collaboration with the painter

Knut Rumohr Knut Lindstrøm Rumohr (21 December 1916 – 31 October 2002) was a Norwegian painter and printmaker. Biography Rumohr was born at Frønningen in Leikanger (now Lærdal) in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. He was the son of Johan Rumohr (1886-1981 ...

, she revived the old technique of using rye straw for weaving. Together they produced carpets with abstract designs based on nature. Knudtzon designed patterns for the Norwegian textile firm from 1958 to 1975. In 1984, she received the Jacob Prize, a Norwegian cultural award.

Early life

Born in Oslo on 25 October 1914, Anne-Lise Caroline Kiær was the daughter of the industrialist Thorvald (Thorry) Meyer Kiær (1888–1968) and his wife Ingrid née Thaulow (1892–1983). She married Fritz Knudtzon (1910–1999). In the mid-1930s, she had gained experience working with the textile artist Maija Kansanen-Størseth in Helsinki. She attended the

Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry The National College of Art and Design ( no, Statens håndverks- og kunstindustriskole) was established in 1818. In 1996 the National College of Art and Design became part of Oslo National Academy of the Arts The Oslo National Academy of the A ...

from 1943 to 1944.

Career

in 1946, Knudtzon established her own studio in Oslo. Initially, despite post-war rationing, she tried as far a possible to use wool, producing brightly coloured fabrics. The firm went on to produce curtains, upholstery and carpets. In the 1950s and 1960s, she received a number of significant commissions for interior decoration, for example for the

Stiftsgården Stiftsgården is the royal residence in Trondheim, Norway. It is centrally situated on the city’s most important thoroughfare, Munkegaten. At 140 rooms constituting 4000 m² (43000 ft²), it is possibly the largest wooden building in N ...

residence and the Archbishop's Palace in

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...

. She has also produced fabrics for several hotels in Norway and for Norwegian embassies around the world. From 1953, she began collaborating with the painter Knut Rumohr, initially producing carpets with geometrical designs. The later revived the old technique using rye straw for weaving carpets, often with abstract designs from nature. Apart from

Sigrun Berg Sigrun Karoline Matina Berg (18 May 1901 – 18 May 1982) was a Norwegian weaver and textile designer. Biography Berg was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. She was a daughter of judge Paal Berg and Caroline Debes, and was the mother of ...

, Knudtzon is the only designer in Norway to have used rye straw for high-quality products. Knudtzon designed patterns for the Norwegian textile firm from 1958 to 1975. Knudtzon's works can be seen in the , Trondheim, and in the

Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology ( no, Norsk Teknisk Museum) is located in Oslo, Norway. The museum is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage. History The museum as an institution was founded in 1914 as a ...

, Oslo. Annelise Knudtzon died in Olso on 4 September 2006.

Awards

Knudtzon received the Norwegian cultural award, the Jacob Prize, in 1984.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knudtzon, Annelise 1914 births 2006 deaths Norwegian textile designers Norwegian women artists Artists from Oslo