Jean Hjalmar Dahl Heiberg (1884-1976) - Norwegian School Study Of A Woman In Profile, About 1910

Jean Hjalmar Dahl Heiberg (1884-1976)
Norwegian School
Study Of A Woman In Profile, About 1910
Oil on panel
60.5 x 50 cm
Signed lower right

Heiberg completed his secondary education in Hamar in 1903. He studied at the Royal Drawing School (Den Kongelige Tegneskole) in Kristiania from 1903 to 1904, and in Munich from 1904 to 1905. In 1905, he studies at the Académie Colarossi in Paris. After a stay in Kristiania, he returns to Paris and is Henri Matisse's pupil from 1908 to 1910. After their marriage in 1913, the couple visited Rome and Florence the following year.

Heiberg's paintings include Boksekamp (1910) and Enken (1915), both in the National Gallery of Norway. Other paintings include Mor og barn and Eftasvæl, both from 1916. His self-portrait Selvportrett ved staffeliet is also in the National Gallery. He is represented at the National Gallery with a total of 30 paintings and several sculptures. His bronze sculptures include Helge, from 1925, and Hode, from 1928. In the 1920s, he also designed furniture.

In the early 1930s, he helped design a telephone for Elektrisk Bureau. This telephone was billed as the world's first "hookless" bakelite telephone, i.e. the first telephone whose cradle, or receiver hook, was integrated into the all-bakelite body. The telephone went into production in 1932 as the Ericsson DBH1001. The technical design of this model was carried out by Norwegian electrical engineer Johan Christian Bjerknes (1889-1983). Heiberg was responsible for the stylistic design.

Heiberg was appointed professor at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts from 1935 to 1955, except during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, when he was dismissed in 1941. In the autumn of 1941, he began secretly running an art academy in Oslo with his colleague Axel Revold. Their academy was called "La Fabrique" (Fabrikken in Norwegian), as it was initially housed in a closed corset factory. Later, it moved to Lauritz Falk's home and Johannes Sejersted Bødtker's workshop in Holmenkollen. Heiberg was director of the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts from 1946 to 1955. In 1956, he was awarded Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.

Ref: GOM5DEC3NS