Johannes Rian

Who was Johannes Rian?

Johannes "Johs" Rian was a Norwegian painter. He was born in Overhalla as a son of farmers Peter Rian and Elen Blengslien. Johs Rian also worked at the family farm, but left this career in 1927 to pursue painting. He studied at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts from 1928 to 1930 under Axel Revold. He was also inspired by Henrik Sørensen, and Revold's teacher Henri Matisse. In 1936 he married his secretary Ellen Gjønnæs. Rian exhibited at Kunstnerforbundet several times between 1930 and 1957, and also at the São Paulo Biennal in 1967/68. From 1960 he mainly exhibited in Galleri Haaken. He also started painting nonfigurative art. The Norwegian Museum of Contemporary Art owns eight of his paintings. He was decorated with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1978, and died in December 1981 in Oslo.