Collection: Theodor Kittelsen (1857–1914)

Why Theodor Kittelsen art prints still draw people in

Theodor Kittelsen art prints open a door into the forests and folk tales of Norway. A troll takes shape among the trees, a water spirit watches from a dark pool, and a distant palace glows beyond the mountains. His pictures invite you to look a little longer: a familiar landscape can suddenly feel alive.

Kittelsen (1857–1914) was a Norwegian artist and illustrator whose images helped shape how generations imagine the characters in Asbjørnsen and Moe’s folk tales. His close attention to nature gives even his strangest creatures a convincing place in the landscape. For a home with an interest in Nordic stories, these Norwegian art prints offer both atmosphere and something to explore.

Featured highlight: Soria Moria Palace (1900)

Soria Moria Palace (1900)

A boy stands with his back to us, looking towards a luminous palace in the distance. The space between the traveller and his destination gives the picture its sense of longing. The work belongs to Kittelsen’s twelve-picture Soria Moria series. As wall art, it invites the eye to travel from the rocky foreground into the open landscape.

Theodor Kittelsen in brief (life and work)

• 1857: Born in Kragerø, Norway.
• Became especially known for his illustrations of Norwegian folk tales collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe.
• Worked with drawing and painting, often combining different materials in a single image.
• Created both fairy-tale scenes and quieter studies of Norwegian nature.
• 1914: Died on Jeløya, near Moss, Norway.

Quote

“It is its mysterious quality, the stillness, the secrecy …”

Theodor Kittelsen, Aftenposten, 9 October 1904. Excerpt, translated from Norwegian; quoted by Norway’s National Museum. Nasjonalmuseet.

What to notice in Theodor Kittelsen art prints

Creatures that belong to the landscape

In Forest Troll, the creature’s rough outline echoes the surrounding trees and vegetation. Look at where the forest ends and the troll begins.

Forest Troll (c. 1906)

Still water with an unsettling presence

In Nøkken, the quiet surface of the water makes the watching creature more disturbing. Small details carry much of the tension.

Nøkken

A story told through movement

In White Bear King Valemon, the princess’s position on the bear’s back leads your eye through the scene. The relationship between the figures gives the journey its emotional weight.

White Bear King Valemon (1912)

Distance and light

In Soria Moria Palace, the distant glow draws both the traveller and the viewer onward. Notice how little the palace needs to occupy the picture to hold your attention.

Soria Moria Palace (1900)

Explore more

Discover more Norwegian art prints or compare Kittelsen’s world with John Bauer’s Swedish fairy-tale illustrations.

Norwegian art prints · John Bauer