Artists Knut Alfred Ekwall And Emma Ekwall

∎ Artist Knut Alfred Ekwall (1843 - 1912)

Knut Alfred Ekwall was a Swedish painter and book illustrator who lived from 1843 to 1912. Emma Ekwall's brother.

Knut Ekwall was born to bailiff Nils Fredrik Ekwall and his wife Emilia in Sabie, Trans municipality. Knut was the sixth of sixteen very gifted children. Hugo and Gustav, the brothers, graduated with honors from engraving schools, while Emma, the eldest sister, became the first Swedish female painter to obtain the Royal Medal. Knut, to his mother's delight, also found his skills at a young age.

Knut Ekwall started school in Jönköping in 1854 and graduated in 1959. Artist Markus Larsson happened to see some of Knut's sketches and thought the adolescent was highly promising. As a result, Knut Ekwall briefly became his pupil. Unfortunately, all educational works were destroyed by fire in 1859.

Later, Knut Alfred Ekwall traveled for Stockholm, where he was accepted quickly into the Academy of Arts, where he studied until 1867. Due to financial constraints, he was obliged to discontinue his studies several times. He received medals in 1860 and 1861. Knut Ekwall sent home letters of appreciation and letters of thanks for parents in succeeding years of education.

Knut met his future wife Theresia Berkowitz in 1869, the attractive and musically brilliant adopted daughter of a Berlin watchmaker. Knut and Theresia agreed to marry, but the Ekwall family was opposed to marrying a poor girl. Teresia then convinced her beloved to flee to Berlin, where the wedding was held, with only one bag and a palette.

This was a nice marriage. Their son Harold was born in 1973, and Anna was born in 1875. They, like their mother, pursued careers as musicians. So, by coincidence, by fate, Knut Ekwall ended himself in Germany, making an everlasting impression on the country's culture.

Knut Ekwall returned to Sweden in 1885, at the age of 42. His house was set on fire on March 13, 1912. The fire entirely damaged the workshop, which had lovely paintings underneath it. Knut was on the second floor, having been bedridden for a long time owing to a bad illness. He was rescued and sent to the neighboring Romana sanatorium in Trans. The neighborhood newspaper "Kalmar" on March 16, 1912 carried an article: "On Wednesday night, the house of the painter Knut Ekwall burnt down. All personal belongings and artistic treasures were destroyed."

Knut Ekwall died a few weeks later, on April 4, 1912, still reeling from the shock.

∎ Artist Emma Ekwall

🇸🇪🎨 Emma Ekwall sister of artist ( Knut Alfred Ekwall ) was the first female painter in Sweden to earn the Royal Medal. On January 18, 1838, she was born. She resided in Munich and Leipzig after graduating from the Academy of Painting, where she studied from 1865 to 1870. She primarily painted portraits of her children, as well as floral still lifes and genre themes.

She died in Stockholm in 1925.

Sweden's Kingdom!