Knud Bergslien, a master of Norwegian national romanticism, born in Voss in May 1827 and died in Kristiania in November 1908, created works of art that stir the imagination and beguile the senses. His unique artistic expressiveness is reflected in his stunning art prints, which are characterized by their ability to capture the poetry and romance of Norwegian life. Bergslien's life journey began in the humble surroundings of a smallholding, where he discovered a passion for art at an early age. His journey took him from a life as a soldier in Bergen to art training with renowned landscape painter Hans Leganger Reusch. His talent and dedication enabled him to pursue an education at the Antwerp Academy of Art, funded by the support of the citizens of Bergen. His journey continued as he honed his drawing skills in Paris at Charles Gleyre before returning to Bergen as a teacher at the Drawing and Painting School.

Bergslien quickly established himself as a talented portrait painter, and his interest in depicting folk life earned him recognition and success. His ability to capture the beauty of everyday life and express the soul of Norwegian culture through his ethnographic depictions earned him a special place in the Düsseldorf School. In addition to these folk themes, he also devoted himself to Norwegian history, inspired by the Heimskringla of Snorri Sturluson, which had been given to him by a patron. When Bergslien returned to Norway, he founded a painting school together with Morten Müller, which was named "Bergsliens Malerskole" after Müller's departure. His contribution to the art scene in Christiania, as Oslo was then called, was enormous and formative. As director of this school, he influenced a whole generation of artists, including his nephew Nils Bergslien.

In the second phase of his creative work, after his return to Norway, Bergslien mainly created portraits, which can still be admired in numerous art prints. But his most famous contribution to art are his history paintings. Works such as "The Birkebeiners" (1869), "King Sverre in a Snowstorm" (1870), "The Battle of Hafrsfjord" (1872), and "The Coronation of King Oscar II" (1874), for which he received the Royal Order of the Wasa, are shining examples of his ability to bring history and myth to life in compelling visual form. Capturing the essence of Norwegian folklife and history in his work, Knud Bergslien is a true giant of the art world. His extraordinary skills and creative genius have made him an enduring symbol of the National Romantic movement. His works live on as art prints, and they continue to capture the fascination and deep emotions they evoked when first imagined. His art is more than just a visual experience - it is a portal to a bygone Norway that seems vivid and breathtakingly real through his brushstrokes and colors.