Background
Per A. Lysne was born on the Ljøsne farm in Lærdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.
Per A. Lysne was born on the Ljøsne farm in Lærdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.
He had been trained in rosemaling by Anders Olsen, an artist whose work was recognized at the Exposition Universelle at Paris in 1893. He specialized in redecorating antique chests and painting large platters. He developed a thriving rosemaling enterprise and taught the art to a select few.
His signature piece, the smorgasbord plate, was not an object that typically had been decorated, but Lysne"s new form had a pervasive influence.
The Stoughton Historical Museum has an exhibit devoted to Lysne"s work. The Per Lysne Collection is maintained at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.