Hjalmar Welhaven (26 December 1850 – 18 April 1922) was a Norwegian architect, palace manager, and sportsman.

Biography

Personal life

Welhaven was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the son of writer

Johan Sebastian Welhaven Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven (22 December 1807 – 21 October 1873) was a Norwegian author, poet, critic, and art theorist. He has been considered "one of the greatest figures in Norwegian literature." Background Johan Welhaven was born ...

and Josephine Angelica Bidoluac. He married painter Margrethe Petersen Backer in 1876. His aunts were

Maren Sars Maren Cathrine Sars (née Welhaven; 17 August 1811 – 27 December 1898) was a Norwegian socialite. Personal life She was born in Bergen as a daughter of priest Johan Ernst Welhaven (1775–1828) and Else Margrethe Cammermeyer (1785–1853), the ...

and writer

Elisabeth Welhaven Elisabeth Cathrine "Lise" Welhaven (6 March 1815 – 26 July 1901) was a Norwegian writer. Personal life She was born in Bergen as a daughter of the priest Johan Ernst Welhaven (1775–1828) and Else Margrethe Cammermeyer (1785–1853), the daug ...

, and he was a cousin of historian Ernst Sars, biologist Georg Sars and singer

Eva Nansen Eva Helene Nansen (née Sars; 17 December 1858 – 9 December 1907) was a celebrated Norwegian mezzo-soprano singer. She was also a pioneer of women's skiing. Personal life Born in Christiania (now Oslo), she was a daughter of priest and profes ...

. He was a brother-in-law of painter

Harriet Backer Harriet Backer (21 January 1845 – 25 March 1932) was a Norwegian painter who achieved recognition in her own time and was a pioneer among female artists both in the Nordic countries and in Europe generally. She is best known for her detailed ...

and pianist and composer

Agathe Backer Grøndahl Agathe Ursula Backer Grøndahl (1 December 1847 – 4 June 1907) was a Norwegian pianist and composer. Her son Fridtjof Backer-Grøndahl (1885–1959) was also a pianist and composer, who promoted his mother's compositions in his concerts. Biogr ...

. He was the father of the sculptor

Sigri Welhaven Sigri Welhaven (4 May 1894 – 20 December 1991) was a Norwegian artist and sculptor. Biography Welhaven was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. She was the daughter of Hjalmar Welhaven (1850–1922) and Margrethe Backer (1851–1940), ...

and the painter Astri Welhaven Heiberg.

Career

Hjalmar Welhaven's ski collection in 1909

Welhaven was a student at the Statens håndverks- og kunstindustriskole (now Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry) in 1870. He later studied architecture at Technische Hochschule (now Leibniz University Hannover) during 1871-73. He started practicing as an architect from 1875. In 1883 he was appointed manager for the Royal Palace in Oslo by King Oscar II. He was also responsible for

Prinsehytta The Royal Mountain Chalet (Norwegian: Prinsehytta, ''The Prince Cottage'') is a cottage in Sikkilsdalen in Jotunheimen, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory o ...

Skinnarbøl ''Skinnarbøl'' is a manor house and estate located east of the Norwegian city Kongsvinger. History Close to the Swedish border and Finnskogen, the estate lands have historically belonged to several families including the Swedish noble familie ...

the

Bygdøy Royal Estate Bygdøy Royal Estate ( no, Bygdøy kongsgård), also known as the ''Bygdø Royal Farm'', is a Kongsgård estate and manor house that occupies a large part of the northwestern part of the Bygdøy peninsula in Oslo, Norway. It is the official summe ...

and

Oscarshall Oscarshall Palace is a ''maison de plaisance'' located in the small fjord Frognerkilen on Bygdøy in Oslo, Norway. History The palace was built from 1847 to 1852 by the Danish architect Johan Henrik Nebelong on commission from King Oscar ...

. From 1905 he continued in this position for King Haakon VII of Norway, and led the comprehensive modernization project of the Royal Stables between 1905 and 1911, until he finally retired in 1920. Besides his duties as a palace manager, he continued his architectural work. Among his designs were the tourist cabins

Glitterheim Glitterheim is a mountain cabin in the valley of Veodalen in Jotunheimen, Norway. It is owned by the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT). The cabin lies 1,384 meters above sea level, at the foot of the mountain Glittertind Glittertind ...

and Gjendebu, and

Polhøgda Polhøgda is the home of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute. It was originally built as the private home of Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen. The manor home’s architecture is Roman Revival, and the former estate lies between Lysaker and Fornebu in ...

, the home of Fridtjof and

. He also designed several private dwellings in Oslo. He was an eager sportsman, a member of the ski club Christiania Skiklub from its foundation in 1877, and participated in organizing the first

ski jumping Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the fina ...

competition

Husebyrennet Husebyrennet was a ski jumping competition which was held in Ullern, Oslo, Norway. These yearly competitions, held from 1879 to 1891, were a precursor to the Holmenkollen event. Starting in January 1892, this competition relocated to the Holm ...

in 1879. He chaired the rowing club Christiania Roklub from 1890 to 1891. His collection of

ski A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partia ...

s from all over the country was shown at the

1914 Jubilee Exhibition The 1914 Jubilee Exhibition took place in Kristiania, Norway, from May 5 to October 11, 1914. It marked the centennial anniversary of the 1814 constitution and focused on industry and agriculture. The main location was the grounds of Frogner Manor ...

Frogner stadion Frogner stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway, which has artificial ice in the winter for speed skating and bandy. The artificial grass is used in the summer for soccer and American football. It is located close to the Frogner Park, between ...

. The collection was the basis for the ski collection at Holmenkollen Ski Museum, the world's oldest ski museum, when it opened at

Frognerseteren Frognerseteren is a neighborhood of Oslo, Norway, located within Nordmarka. It is a popular starting point for recreational hiking and skiing in Oslo. Frognerseteren Station is the terminal station of the Holmenkollen Line of the Oslo Metro. Fro ...

in 1923. The museum was relocated to the Holmenkollen ski arena in 1951.

Gallery

File:Hærland church in Eidsberg municipality.jpg, Hærland Church - 1878 Grensen 4 ID 163136.JPG , Grensen 4 - 1882 Solveien 113 Oslo.jpg , Solveien 113 - 1891 Professor Dahls gate 31.jpg , Professor Dahls gate 31 - 1896 Bjørknes privatskole Oslo.jpg, Bjørknes Private School - 1898 Auli kirke.jpg , Auli Church - 1904

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Welhaven, Hjalmar 1850 births 1922 deaths Artists from Oslo Oslo National Academy of the Arts alumni University of Hanover alumni Architects from Oslo Norwegian male skiers