Benjamin Blessum
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Blessum was an American painter, graphic artist and illustrator. He was primarily known for his Norwegian landscapes.
, Norway
. He was the son of shoemaker Johan Blessum and Marit Trøen from Vågå
, Gudbrandsdal
. His family emigrated from Trondheim
in 1888 to Menominee, Wisconsin
when he was 11 years old. He also lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
where his father worked in the lumber mills. In 1896, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he attended the Art Institute of Chicago
and worked as a commercial artist and for the Chicago Tribune
as an illustrator.
now located at the Norwegian Emigrant Museum in Hamar
. In 1916, he lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico
painting for the Santa Fe Railroad. During World War I
, Blessum served as a representative to the American Committee on Public Information in Norway and acted in the same capacity for the United States War Department.
Blessum was a member of the Chicago Norske Klub
and Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art
both in Chicago. Blessum exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago. Exhibitions of his works were held at the Chicago Norske Klub Annual Art Exhibit and the Norse-American Centennial
Art Exhibition at the Minnesota State Fair
.
From 1923 to his retirement in 1936, he was the representative for the Norwegian State Railways in New York. Blessum received the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, First Class, bestowed by King Haakon VII of Norway
in recognition of his many services to the nation. He served as secretary of the Norwegian National League for over 50 years.
at the age of 77.
Background
Ben Blessum was born in Marstein, RomsdalenRomsdalen
Romsdalen is a valley running through the municipalities of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal County and Lesja in Oppland county Norway.-Location:The river Rauma follows the Romsdalen valley from lake Lesjaskogsvatnet to the town of Åndalsnes, where it empties into the Romsdalsfjord. The Rauma Line and...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He was the son of shoemaker Johan Blessum and Marit Trøen from Vågå
Vågå
Vågå is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vågåmo....
, Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdal
The Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal...
. His family emigrated from Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
in 1888 to Menominee, Wisconsin
Menominee, Wisconsin
For the city in western Wisconsin, see Menomonie.Menominee is a town in Menominee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,562 at the 2000 census...
when he was 11 years old. He also lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
where his father worked in the lumber mills. In 1896, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he attended the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
and worked as a commercial artist and for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
as an illustrator.
Career
In 1913, he was commissioned to design and execute a painting to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution. He painted The Departure of the RestaurationRestauration (ship)
Restauration was a sloop built in 1801 in Hardanger, Norway. It became a symbol of Norwegian American immigration. Historical sources may contain several variations on the name of the sloop, including Restauration, Restoration, Restaurasjonen, and Restorasjon.-History:On what is considered the...
now located at the Norwegian Emigrant Museum in Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
. In 1916, he lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
painting for the Santa Fe Railroad. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Blessum served as a representative to the American Committee on Public Information in Norway and acted in the same capacity for the United States War Department.
Blessum was a member of the Chicago Norske Klub
Chicago Norske Klub
Chicago Norske Klub was a Chicago, Illinois based Norwegian-American cultural and social organization.-Background:Chicago Norske Klub was founded in 1911 through the merger of two prior organizations which had dated to 1890, the Norwegian Club in Chicago and the Norwegian Quartet Club .Its...
and Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art
Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art
The Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art is an association of representational artists, founded in Chicago in 1895. Palette & Chisel is the second oldest artist organization in the United States.-Founding:As the Inland Printer reported in June 1896:...
both in Chicago. Blessum exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago. Exhibitions of his works were held at the Chicago Norske Klub Annual Art Exhibit and the Norse-American Centennial
Norse-American Centennial
The Norse-American Centennial celebration was held at the Minnesota State Fair from June 7–9, 1925.The event served to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival during 1825 of the Norwegian immigrant ship Restauration. The arrival of this ship is generally considered the first organized...
Art Exhibition at the Minnesota State Fair
Minnesota State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair is the state fair of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its slogan is "The Great Minnesota Get-Together." It is the 2nd largest fair in the United States, and the largest state fair in the United States in terms of average daily attendance, though the State Fair of Texas runs...
.
From 1923 to his retirement in 1936, he was the representative for the Norwegian State Railways in New York. Blessum received the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, First Class, bestowed by King Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
in recognition of his many services to the nation. He served as secretary of the Norwegian National League for over 50 years.
Personal life
Blessum settled in Chicago with his wife, Karen Olsen, whom he married in 1900, and their children, Norman and Dagny. He retired in 1936 and built a home outside of Chicago. Blessum died at Lake Villa, IllinoisLake Villa, Illinois
Lake Villa is a village in Lake County, Illinois United States. The population was 5,864 at the 2000 census. Lake Villa lies within Lake Villa Township...
at the age of 77.
Selected works
- Smaa diamanter: udvalgte fortællinger (1899) Norwegian
- What You Can See from the Train in Norway (1930)
- Vikingland Vacations Norway (1930)
Other sources
- Erickson, Rolf H. Ben Blessum, Norwegian-American Artist (The Sons of Norway Viking, 85, 10: 408-410. October, 1988)
- Haugan, Reidar Rye Prominent Artists and Exhibits of Their Work in Chicago (Chicago Norske Klub. Nordmanns-Forbundet, 24: 371—374,Volume 7, 1933)