Otto Valstad
Otto Valstad (11 December 1862 – 20 June 1950) was a Norwegian educator, painter, book illustrator and children's writer.
Otto Valstad

Ole Christoffer Thorkelsen · Oslo Museum: accession number OB.05886 · CC0
- Name
- Otto Valstad
- Born
- 11 December 1862
- Birthplace
- Asker, Norway
- Died
- 20 June 1950
- Occupation
- educator, painter, book illustrator and children's writer
- Known for
- He and his wife were avid art collectors and their home in Hvalstad became a cultural centre.
- Spouse
- Tilla Valstad
- Nationality
- Norway
- Education
- Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry
- Honours
- King's Medal of Merit in Gold
- Languages
- Norwegian
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Otto Valstad (11 December 1862 – 20 June 1950) was a Norwegian educator, painter, book illustrator and children's writer.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Otto Valstad (1862–1950) was a Norwegian artist, children's writer and illustrator, among other activities. The artist was born and died in Asker. Otto Valstad studied at Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry.
Languages used include Norwegian. Works by the artist are held at National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and Nationalmuseum. Otto Valstad received King's Medal of Merit in Gold.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Otto Valstad. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q6977068 · wikipedia · Otto Valstad
In this article
Biography
Biography
Otto Valstad studied at Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry. The recorded working language is Norwegian. Work by Otto Valstad is recorded in the collections of Nationalmuseum and National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. Distinctions recorded are King's Medal of Merit in Gold.

Lina Bruun (1816-1901), b. Stenersen, mother of Christopher Bruun.
Otto Valstad · Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design

Otto Valstad - Hulda Garborg - Norsk portrettarkiv - Riksantikvaren - G000043
Otto Valstad · Norsk portrettarkiv - Riksantikvaren
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Otto Valstad • Born — 11 December 1862 • Birthplace — Asker, Norway • Died — 20 June 1950 • Occupation — educator, painter, book illustrator and children's writer • Known for — He and his wife were avid art collectors and their home in Hvalstad became a cultural centre. • Spouse — Tilla Valstad
Biography
Biography
He was born at Asker in Akershus, Norway. He was the son of Andreas Olsen Valstad (1828–1911) and Lisa Johansdatter Solstad (1836–1906). Valstad was an elementary school teacher until 1899. From the 1880s, he painted, especially landscapes, portraits and popular genres. He was a student at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry under Johan Nordhagen and later briefly attended Académie Julian in Paris during 1897. In 1893, he married novelist Mathilde Georgine "Tilla" Valstad (1871–1957). Otto and Tilla Valstad were avid art collectors and their home in Hvalstad became a cultural centre. In 1949, they willed their property to Asker municipality. His works are displayed at Asker Museum together with an extensive collection of art and cultural-historical objects. Among his books are Juletræet from 1891, Smaakarer from 1910, Ola Enfoldig from 1916 and Ola Mangfoldig from 1923. He is represented in the National Gallery of Norway with the portrait Fru Lina Brun from 1901.
Identity
Identity
Otto Valstad is recorded as writer, illustrator, painter and artist.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1862
Otto Valstad born at Asker.
1950
Otto Valstad died at Asker.
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- Valstad, Otto, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2011
reference work
- “Otto Valstad”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q6977068: Otto Valstad
General reference · Wikidata
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
Valstad, Otto, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011Crossref registry
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Otto Valstad received King's Medal of Merit in Gold.
Recognition and collections
Work by Otto Valstad is
Nationalmuseum and National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Valstad, Otto, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Illustration
5,224 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Otto NückelIllustrator
- Otto SindingIllustrator
- Otto SpeckterIllustrator
- Otto UbbelohdeIllustrator
- Otto Wilhelm ThoméIllustrator
- Owen JonesIllustrator
- Oyinkan BraithwaiteIllustrator
- Øystein DolmenIllustrator
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Otto Valstad?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.