ArtistSwedish
Einar Norelius
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For more than half a century, the trolls, elves, and forest spirits of Swedish folklore arrived each Christmas in the hands of children across the country - drawn by Einar Norelius. Born in Falun in 1900, Norelius grew up in the heart of Dalarna, a region whose landscapes and folk traditions would animate his imagination for life. He began studying art in Stockholm in 1923 under Carl Wilhelmson, and by 1927 had taken over as chief illustrator of "Bland tomtar och troll", the beloved annual anthology that had been shaped first by John Bauer and then briefly by Gustaf Tenggren before Tenggren left for America and a career at Walt Disney.
Norelius held that position for over fifty years, until 1980, producing watercolors that blended Bauer's atmospheric mystery with a livelier, more dynamic line informed by contemporary illustration and, in Norelius' own telling, some admiration for the work of Norman Rockwell. His compositions lean into deep forest light, wide eyes, and the peculiar dignity he gave to creatures that live just outside human sight. The style is unmistakably Swedish - tender, slightly melancholic, and rooted in landscape.
Beyond the annual, Norelius was a prolific illustrator across Swedish children's culture. He drew the beloved tailless cat Pelle Svanslös, contributed to Svenska Folksagor, created the comic strip Jumbo i Djungeln for Svenska Dagbladet, and produced the picture book Jim, Jock och Jumbo in 1946. He was part of Falugrafikerna, the collective of graphic artists working in the Falun area, and his work entered the permanent collections of Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and Dalarnas Museum in his hometown.
At auction, Norelius appears primarily at Stockholm Auktionsverk Magasin 5, Crafoord Auktioner, and Roslagens Auktionsverk. His works on the secondary market are watercolors, drawings, and original illustrations - largely from the Bland tomtar och troll series. Prices are modest, typically in the low thousands of SEK, reflecting a regional market rather than an international one. His appeal is strongest among collectors of Swedish illustration and Nordic folk art.