Per Arnoldi
Illustration — The National Police Memorial in London, co-designed with Foster + Partners Per Arnoldi (born 25 May 1941 in Copenhagen) is a Danish designer and artist. He has worked with many media, including painting, sculptures, ceramics and posters and has made designs for many companies, organisations and institutions, doing air planes, train stations, hospitals, architecture, monuments, stores, company profiles, handicrafts and everyday utensils. His characteristic simplistic expressions are often categorized as modern art.
Per Arnoldi

Jens Cederskjold · CC BY 3.0
- Born
- 1941 · Copenhagen.
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Denmark
- Occupation
- artist · designer · painter · screenwriter · actor · film director
- Education
- Østersøgades Gymnasium
- Honours
- N. L. Høyen medal · Eckersberg Medal · The Native Danish Language Award · Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
- Languages
- Danish
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Illustration — The National Police Memorial in London, co-designed with Foster + Partners Per Arnoldi (born 25 May 1941 in Copenhagen) is a Danish designer and artist. He has worked with many media, including painting, sculptures, ceramics and posters and has made designs for many companies, organisations and institutions, doing air planes, train stations, hospitals, architecture, monuments, stores, company profiles, handicrafts and everyday utensils. His characteristic simplistic expressions are often categorized as modern art.
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
gnd · 3064016-7 · wikidata · Q3373273 · wikipedia · Per Arnoldi
In this article
Background
Background
Arnoldi has worked in many countries around the world and is on permanent exhibit in several prestigious art and design institutions for his unique and influential productions, including Museum of Modern Art in New York. Apart from his prolific poster art production, some of Arnoldi's best known single works are the logo and curtains designs of the Copenhagen Opera House from 2004 and London's National Police Memorial, co-designed with Peter Ridley from Foster + Partners. Other well-known works include the "Romantic Construction", "The Wall", and "Corrections". Herning Museum of Contemporary Art in Denmark holds the largest permanent display of his work. In Denmark, Arnoldi is a well-known art mediator, hosting TV shows about art through most of the 80's. From 2008 to 2010, he was a member of Akademirådet (The Academy Council) at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and he was appointed chairman for Kunstrådet (The Art Council) in the Danish government administration for about a year in 2011.
Per Arnoldi studied at Østersøgades Gymnasium. The recorded working language is Danish. Places of work recorded in the authority are Copenhagen. Work by Per Arnoldi is recorded in the collections of Museum of Modern Art, Museum Arnhem, Statens Museum for Kunst and Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Distinctions recorded are N. Høyen medal, Eckersberg Medal, The Native Danish Language Award and Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog.
Arnoldi is educated schoolteacher and worked as such for a short time before his interest in and engagement with painting, design and art became his primary occupation. He is best known for his poster art and in particular his DSB train posters from 1975 onwards became public darlings in Denmark. He worked with the magazine Mobilia (about modernist furniture, interior decoration and crafts) for about 10 years, learning the craft of graphic design. As a painter, Arnoldi is autodidact and he exhibited for the first time in 1961, twenty years old. Per Arnoldi is a lifelong fan of jazz music, and apart from his many jazz related posters, he hosts monthly jazz radio shows and occasionally tours with a jazz trio.
Museums representation
Museums representation
Museums where Per Arnoldi's work is represented include: • Museum of Modern Art, New York City, United States • Museum of Modern Art, Toyama, Japan • Victoria and Albert Museum, London • Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, United States • Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam • Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Haag • Neues Museum für Angewandte Kunst, München • Israel Museum, Jerusalem • Royal Print Collection, Danish National Gallery, Copenhagen • Kunstindustrimuseet • Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum • Randers Kunstmuseum
Commissions
Commissions
Per Arnoldi has created art work for institutions such as: • Commerzbank Headquarters, Frankfurt • Der Reichstag, Berlin • Deutsche Bundesbahn • Japan Railways • Tanaka Business School, London
Poster work
Poster work
Per Arnoldi has made posters for institutions including: • Guggenheim Museum, New York City • Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago • Lincoln Center, New York City • Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark • Royal Danish Theatre • American Ballet Theatre • Chicago Symphony Orchestra • Montreux Festival • British Rail • DSB • Novo Nordisk • Siemens
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1941
Per Arnoldi was born in 1941 at Copenhagen.
2003
Per Arnoldi, 250 plakater etc is dated 2003.
Recognition and collections
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Per Arnoldi received N. Høyen medal, Eckersberg Medal, The Native Danish Language Award and Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- Arnoldi, Per, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2011
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 3064016-7, Ausstellung: Bo Bonfils, Per Arnoldi (1989 : Essen).
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3373273: Per Arnoldi
General reference · Wikidata
Awards and accolades
• 1985 Toulouse-Lautrec Award • 1993 Prix Savignac, Paris • 1996 Gold medal at 4th Poster Biennale, Mexico City • 1997 Honor Award, American Institute of Architects • Statens Kunstfond's 3-years work grant, 2000 • 2000 Eckersberg Medal, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts • 2003 Order of the Dannebrogsordenen
Literature
Literature
Per Arnoldi has written and authored several books. • Per Arnoldi (2017): "Solo", Gyldendal • Per Arnoldi (2015): "Rodchenkos korridor og andre opdelinger", Viborg Kunsthals Forlag • Per Arnoldi (2007): "Colour is Communication. Selected Projects for Foster + Partners", Birkhauser • Per Arnoldi (1991): "Allround", HEART - Herning Museum of Contemporary Art
Scholarly footprint
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
Arnoldi, Per, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011Crossref registry
Institutional witnessauthority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 3064016-7, Ausstellung: Bo Bonfils, Per Arnoldi (1989 : Essen).Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessauthority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
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.
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