A life shaped by light and landscape
Born in Namsos on December 25, 1904, Ole Mæhle spent his early years moving through the quiet corners of Norway. His path as a painter began in Trondheim, where he spent time in the local art galleries and studied under Harald Krohg Stabell. The restoration work occurring at Nidaros Cathedral left its mark on him during these formative years. By 1924, he was studying at Axel Revolds' private painting school, later traveling to Paris in the winter of 1926 to learn from Per Krohg. This period in France, alongside travels through Italy and the Mediterranean, brought a specific clarity to his work. The sun of the south changed how he saw light.
In 1932, Mæhle settled in Lillehammer. He became part of a local circle of painters, finding common ground with artists like Lars Jorde and Einar Sandberg. His time in this community allowed him to find his own subjects within the Norwegian landscape. His paintings from the 1930s often carry a particular sunny tone, a personal color palette he developed through careful observation. He looked closely at the textures of the earth and the shifting light on the water.
The evolution of form and color
Mæhle’s approach to the canvas shifted as the decades passed. In his early years, his work showed the influence of Axel Revolds, with a focus on strong forms and heavy colors. This was evident in his depictions of the Namdalskysten coast, where he painted fishermen in yellow oilskins and red fishing huts against the blue-green sea. As he matured, his style moved toward what he called a delayed impressionism. He captured the mood of summer nights at Ålmannberget and the light of winter days in the forest with a naturalist's eye.
By the 1970s, his brushwork took on a different character. He began to work with more abstracting forms, focusing on the minute details of the natural world. In these later works, he rendered moss, lichen, and bark in a way that approached non-figurative art, much like the way he observed the textures of the forest floor. His palette remained tied to the seasons, moving from the bright light of his youth to more somber, autumnal tones.
A presence in the Norwegian art community
Beyond the studio, Mæhle was a constant figure in the professional life of Norwegian art. He spent many years as an art critic for Dagbladet between 1948 and 1969, sharing his observations on the work of others. His commitment to his local community was seen in his long tenure as chairman of Lillehammer Bys malerisamling from 1949 to 1975.
His work is held in several significant collections, including:
- Nasjonalmuseet
- Lillehammer kunstmuseum
- Trondheim kunstmuseum
- Drammens Museum
- Norsk Folkemuseum
- Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen
- Atenæum in Helsinki
He left behind a body of work that includes titles such as Vintersol I, Lillehammer, Vår, Mjøsa, and Sommernatt ved Ålmannberget. He died in Lillehammer on April 22, 1990.
