Þorvaldur
Skúlason

Þorvaldur Skúlason (April 30, 1906 – August 30, 1984) was an Icelandic painter who was one of the pioneers of abstract art in Iceland, influenced by the French Cubist movement that he became acquainted with in France in the 1940s. His largest collection of works is owned by the University of Iceland's Art Museum, which was established in 1980 through a donation of artworks by the couple Sverrir Sigurðsson and Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir. Þorvaldur's works constituted the backbone of their collection (117 out of 140 pieces).

 

Þorvaldur was born in Borðeyri by Hrútafjörður on the Coasts, the son of the factor at Riisverslunin, Skúli Jónsson, and Elín Theodórsdóttir. When he was three years old, the family moved to Blönduós where he grew up. At the age of fourteen, he became a choirboy on the passenger ship MS Gullfoss, but a year later, he broke his leg and spent his time drawing. In the autumn of 1921, he moved to Reykjavík and received instruction from Ásgrímur Jónsson.

 

In 1927, he exhibited his works at the 7th General Art Exhibition of the Reykjavik Art Society, and on February 16, 1928, he held his first solo exhibition. The same year, he went to study at the art school in Oslo. In 1931, he moved to Paris, and then to Copenhagen in 1933, and once again to France in 1934. In 1940, he moved back to Iceland with his family due to the German occupation.

 

After returning to Iceland, he mainly lived in Reykjavík and actively participated in exhibitions organized by the Society of Icelandic Visual Artists and the Septem Group, among others.