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The 8 Most Famous Jacob Calmeyer Paintings, a Gallery Selection
Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 8 works by Jacob Calmeyer in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Jacob Calmeyer left, the most famous is Self-portrait of Jacob Mathias Calmeyer (1800), in the collection of the Oslo Museum, Oslo. Close behind it come Jens Mathias Pram Kaurin (1827) and Portrait of the Poet J.S. Welhaven (1827). Our catalog holds 8 works by Jacob Calmeyer; the gallery has kept the 8 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
1802 – 1883, Halden
Most works: National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Jacob Calmeyer's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice
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The museums that keep Jacob Calmeyer's originals
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Jacob Calmeyer | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design |
Oslo | 3 | Portrait of the Poet J.S. Welhaven, View of Svartediket near Bergen, The Waterfall at Lysaker |
 Oslo Museum |
Oslo | 2 | Self-portrait of Jacob Mathias Calmeyer, Portrait |
Jacob Calmeyer decade by decade: the original that defines each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Collectors' questions about Jacob Calmeyer's paintings
Which work is Jacob Calmeyer most famous for?Reveal the answer
Self-portrait of Jacob Mathias Calmeyer (1800), Oslo Museum, Oslo. Jens Mathias Pram Kaurin (1827) and Portrait of the Poet J.S. Welhaven (1827) come next.
How many paintings did Jacob Calmeyer leave?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 8 works by Jacob Calmeyer, dated from 1827 to 1880.
In which museums do Jacob Calmeyer's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Oslo) and Oslo Museum (Oslo). The museum table above lists them all.
In which years did Jacob Calmeyer paint the most famous works?Reveal the answer
In 1820s: 2 of the 8 works on this page were made then, Jens Mathias Pram Kaurin among them.
What are the first and the last famous originals of Jacob Calmeyer?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Jens Mathias Pram Kaurin (1827) and the latest Georg Carl Christian Wedel Prahl (1880).
Which Jacob Calmeyer works hang at the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design?Reveal the answer
Portrait of the Poet J.S. Welhaven, View of Svartediket near Bergen and The Waterfall at Lysaker: the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo holds 3 of the works on this page.
Jacob Calmeyer: life and work
A Life Shaped by the Academy
Jacob Mathias Calmeyer emerged from Fredrikshald in 1802, a period when the foundations of Norwegian art were being quietly laid. His path toward the brush began in 1819, joining the very first class of students at the newly established Norwegian Royal Drawing School in Christiania. This early immersion in formal training provided him with a disciplined eye, guided by the instruction of Jacob Munch and Johannes Flintoe.
The pursuit of refinement eventually led him across the borders to Copenhagen. Between 1821 and 1826, Calmeyer studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It was here that he encountered the influence of Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, a connection that would leave its mark on his approach to composition and light. This period of academic rigor in Denmark prepared him for a career that would span several Scandinavian cities.
Movement Through Scandinavia
Calmeyer’s professional life was marked by a series of shifts between significant cultural centers. After establishing himself within the artist guild in Bergen in 1832, he moved toward Stockholm in 1835, where he remained for several years. This period of residence in Sweden allowed him to exist within a different artistic atmosphere before his eventual return to Norway in 1859.
Upon returning to Christiania, he settled into a later chapter of his life that included passing his knowledge to the next generation. His lineage of instruction can be seen in students such as Ragnvald Hjerlow. His presence in the Norwegian art scene was not merely through his own hand, but through this quiet continuity of technique and tradition.
The Painted Record
The works left behind by Calmeyer offer a window into the landscapes and subjects of his era. His paintings are held within significant collections, including the National Gallery of Norway, the Bergen Art Museum, and the National Museum. These institutions preserve pieces such as Svartediket ved Bergen and Lysakerfossen, works that reflect his engagement with the Norwegian terrain.
His output was not limited to the natural world; he also engaged with portraiture, capturing figures like Knud Bull. Through these varied subjects, Calmeyer contributed to the visual record of 19th-century Norway, leaving a body of work that remains part of the Royal Library in Stockholm and other esteemed repositories.