Early Life, Family and Training Albert Edelfelt was born on July 21, 1854, in Porvoo, Finland. His father, Carl Albert Edelfelt, was a Swedish-speaking Finn and an architect, while his mother, Alexandra Edelfelt, was born Alexandra Brandt. The early years of his life were shaped by the quiet surroundings of Porvoo. By 1869, his interest in drawing led him to the drawing school of the Finnish Art Society to begin formal studies. His t…