Olof Krans
Encyclopedia
Olof Krans was a Swedish-American folk artist
. A self-taught artist, he painted in a style referred to as primitive or Naïve art
.
Parish in northern Uppland
, Sweden
. When Krans was twelve years old his family emigrated to the United States. The family arrived at the Bishop Hill Colony
in Bishop Hill, Illinois
during 1850. Bishop Hill was the site of a utopian religious community founded in 1846 by Swedish pietist Eric Janson and his followers. During the first two winters at the colony, Krans attended school and as he got older he was an ox boy and later worked in the black smith and paint shops.
started, the immigrants raised an entire company and Krans was among the volunteers. He mustered into the Union Army
in Company D, 57th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
, He changed his last name to Krans. The word krans can be translated to mean wreath or garland in the Swedish language. His whole family subsequently adopted the new name. After the Battle of Fort Donnelson
in Tennessee he was given a disability discharge on June 3, 1862.
After the war, Krans married in 1867 and relocated to Galva, Illinois
. There he became a house painter and also did interior decorating. He painted buildings, numerous commercial signs, stage scenery and various decorative treatments in buildings. He painted backdrops and curtains for the local opera house. Krans also decorated the interior of Galva’s Methodist and Lutheran Churches.
In 1896 while he was recovering from a fall, he began painting memories and people from his youth in the Bishop Hill Colony. In his paintings, Krans documented daily life at Bishop Hill. He began painting a series of pictures that described everyday life in the early days of the colony. His work scenes show the colony’s communal workforce laboring in the fields plowing, planting and harvesting. On the 50th anniversary of the Bishop Hill Colony, Krans donated a large portions of his paintings to the colony. Olof Krans died in Altona, Illinois
. At the time of his death he had finished more than 90 pictures.
then Governor of Illinois in 1988 and at a ceremony witnessed by Princess Christina of Sweden
. Some of his paintings are also on display at the Tarnjö Museum in Sweden, only a short distance from the house where he was born. Bishop Hill Museum at Biskopskulla Prästgård, is located outside Örsundsbro
, east of Enköping
in Uppland, Sweden. Additional pieces reside in the Chicago History Museum.
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
. A self-taught artist, he painted in a style referred to as primitive or Naïve art
Naïve art
Naïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
.
Background
Olof Ersson was born in a small hamlet of Sälja in TärnsjöTärnsjö
Tärnsjö is a locality situated in Heby Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden, with 1,262 inhabitants in 2005....
Parish in northern Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. When Krans was twelve years old his family emigrated to the United States. The family arrived at the Bishop Hill Colony
Bishop Hill Colony
Bishop Hill Colony is a historic district in Bishop Hill, Illinois. Bishop Hill was the site of a utopian religious community which operated as a commune. It was founded in 1846 by Swedish pietist Eric Janson and his followers...
in Bishop Hill, Illinois
Bishop Hill, Illinois
Bishop Hill is a village in Henry County, Illinois, along the South Edwards River. The population was 128 at the 2010 census, up from 125 at the 2000 census...
during 1850. Bishop Hill was the site of a utopian religious community founded in 1846 by Swedish pietist Eric Janson and his followers. During the first two winters at the colony, Krans attended school and as he got older he was an ox boy and later worked in the black smith and paint shops.
Career
When the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
started, the immigrants raised an entire company and Krans was among the volunteers. He mustered into the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in Company D, 57th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
57th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 57th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 57th Illinois Infantry was organized at Shawneetown, Illinois, and mustered into Federal service on December 26, 1861.The regiment was mustered out on July...
, He changed his last name to Krans. The word krans can be translated to mean wreath or garland in the Swedish language. His whole family subsequently adopted the new name. After the Battle of Fort Donnelson
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Fort Donelson National Battlefield preserves Fort Donelson and Fort Heiman, two sites of the American Civil War Forts Henry and Donelson Campaign, in which Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Admiral Andrew Hull Foote captured three Confederate forts and opened two rivers to the Union navy...
in Tennessee he was given a disability discharge on June 3, 1862.
After the war, Krans married in 1867 and relocated to Galva, Illinois
Galva, Illinois
Galva is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,589 at the 2010 census, down from 2,758 at the 2000 census.-Information:...
. There he became a house painter and also did interior decorating. He painted buildings, numerous commercial signs, stage scenery and various decorative treatments in buildings. He painted backdrops and curtains for the local opera house. Krans also decorated the interior of Galva’s Methodist and Lutheran Churches.
In 1896 while he was recovering from a fall, he began painting memories and people from his youth in the Bishop Hill Colony. In his paintings, Krans documented daily life at Bishop Hill. He began painting a series of pictures that described everyday life in the early days of the colony. His work scenes show the colony’s communal workforce laboring in the fields plowing, planting and harvesting. On the 50th anniversary of the Bishop Hill Colony, Krans donated a large portions of his paintings to the colony. Olof Krans died in Altona, Illinois
Altona, Illinois
Altona is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 570 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Altona is located at ....
. At the time of his death he had finished more than 90 pictures.
Memorials
Today most of his art belongs to the collection of the Olof Krans Museum at Bishop Hill which was dedicated by Richard B. OgilvieRichard B. Ogilvie
Richard Buell Ogilvie was the 35th Governor of Illinois from 1969 to 1973. A wounded combat veteran of World War II, he achieved fame as the mafia-fighting Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois in the 1960s....
then Governor of Illinois in 1988 and at a ceremony witnessed by Princess Christina of Sweden
Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson
Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson, is the sister of Carl XVI Gustaf, the current King of Sweden. She was born at Haga Palace outside Stockholm. She is the fourth child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and granddaughter of King Gustaf VI...
. Some of his paintings are also on display at the Tarnjö Museum in Sweden, only a short distance from the house where he was born. Bishop Hill Museum at Biskopskulla Prästgård, is located outside Örsundsbro
Örsundsbro
Örsundsbro is a locality situated in Enköping Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden with 1,773 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
, east of Enköping
Enköping
Enköping is a locality and the seat of Enköping Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden with 20,204 inhabitants in 2005.- Geography :Enköping is situated near Lake Mälaren, about 78 km west of Stockholm....
in Uppland, Sweden. Additional pieces reside in the Chicago History Museum.