biography of Benjamin, Ben BLESSUM (1877-1954)

Birth place: Norway

Addresses: Chicago, IL

Profession: Painter, etcher

Studied: AIC; mostly self-taught

Exhibited: AIC; Norwegian-American Artists at the Norske Club, 1920s, 1945 (retrospective)

Work: Smithonian Inst.; Santa Fe RR Collection; Norwegian- American Mus., Decorah, IA; Norwegian America Line; priv. colls. in the U.S. and Norway

Comments: Specialty: landscapes. He immigrated to America in 1888, living in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He first went to Chicago in 1896, working several office jobs, until he started as a commercial artist. In 1903 he made his first trip back to Europe, returning to Norway many times after that. He was invited to decorate the Norwegian-American pavilion at the Norwegian Expo., 1914, in Oslo, the giant paintings of which were later sold to private parties. With his paintings being a success on both sides of the Atlantic, Blessum was also a tireless advocate of Norway in America.

Sources: WW09; add'l info. courtesy of Peter Bissell, Cooperstown, NY.