Jan Valentin Sæther (18 March 1944 – 11 January 2018) was a Norwegian figurative

painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and

gnostic Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: , romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: �nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among early Christian sects. These diverse g ...

priest. He was professor of figurative painting at the National Academy of the Arts in

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

between 1996 and 2002. Sæther received his education from the

Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry The National College of Art and Design () was established in 1818. In 1996, the National College of Art and Design became part of Oslo National Academy of the Arts (''Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo'', KHiO), along with the Norwegian National Academy of ...

(1963–65) and the

Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts The Norwegian National Academy of Arts () was a former Norwegian tertiary institution in Oslo, offering studies in the area of fine art. Along with four other academies, it merged to form the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (, KHiO) in 1996. ...

, painting under the direction of professor Reidar Aulie (1965–66) and sculpture under professor

Per Palle Storm Per Palle Storm (1 December 1910 – 6 January 1994) was a Danish-born Norwegian sculptor and professor at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts. Biography He was born in Copenhagen and was raised in Argentina. He was the son of Hans Pe ...

(1968–71). He has presented numerous exhibitions, mainly in Norway and California. Sæther debuted in the prestigious Kunstnerforbundet in 1972, but prior to that he had participated in group the exhibitions "Spring Exhibition",

Kunstnernes Hus Kunstnernes Hus ( Norwegian for "Artists' House") is an art gallery in Oslo, Norway. It is Norway's largest gallery under the direction of artists, and has served as a major center for exhibits of Norwegian and international contemporary art. It ...

1968, "Figurative painting from the 1960s",

Oslo Kunstforening ] Oslo Kunstforening is a contemporary art gallery and art society located in Oslo, Norway. History Oslo Kunstforening is located at ''Rådhusgata 19''. The gallery, situated in one of the oldest houses in the Kvadraturen area, is the oldest art ...

(''Oslo Arts Society'') 1970 and "Romantik, realisme", Oslo Kunstforening 1971. During this period he went by the name Jan Isak Sæther. In 1973 he moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. In addition to his work as an artist he ran several art schools during his 22 years there. Sæther moved back to Oslo in 1995. Between 1995 and 1996 he worked as

amanuensis An amanuensis ( ) ( ) or scribe is a person employed to write or type what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. It may also be a person who signs a document on behalf of another under the latter's authority. In some aca ...

in charge of the models institute at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. In 1996 he was contracted as professor of figurative painting there following a contentious and much publicized hiring process where the only competition that was to be considered qualified was his youth friend

Odd Nerdrum Odd Nerdrum (born 8 April 1944) is a Norwegian Figurative art, figurative painting, painter. A controversial figure in Norway, he is known for his anti-modernist stance. Themes and style in Nerdrum's work reference anecdote and narrative. Primar ...

. Following the hiring of Sæther in the professorship connected to figurative painting and sculptor Istvan Lisztes in the professorship connected to figurative sculpture, the emotions calmed down.

Gnostic congregation

Sæther became an ordained reverend of the gnostic church in December 1988 by the regional bishop Stephan A. Hoeller of

Ecclesia Gnostica Ecclesia Gnostica (Latin: The Church of Gnosis) is a neo-Gnostic church based in the United States. It has ordained clergy and conducts regular sacramental services, including two weekly Masses (Celebration of the Holy Eucharist), as well a ...

. He has led a Norwegian congregation during later years.Gilhus, Ingvild Sælid and Einar Thomassen: "Forord", ''Gnostiske skrifter'', page x. De Norske bokklubbene, 2002.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saether, Jan Valentin 1944 births 2018 deaths 20th-century Norwegian painters Norwegian male painters 21st-century Norwegian painters 21st-century Norwegian sculptors 21st-century Norwegian illustrators Norwegian Christian clergy Modern gnostics Artists from Oslo Oslo National Academy of the Arts alumni Academic staff of the Oslo National Academy of the Arts Place of birth missing 20th-century Norwegian sculptors Norwegian expatriates in the United States 20th-century Norwegian male artists 21st-century Norwegian male artists