In this photo we can see Odd Nansen by his drawing board. Odd Nansen was artistically gifted. He originally wanted to become a painter, but according to his father, he had to study something first, so he enrolled at the Norwegian Technical School in Trondheim (NTH), where he studied architecture.
Source: This photography is from a book Odd Nansen. Arvtageren.
This villa was built by Fridtjof Nansen between the years 1900-1901. It was called Polhøgda. Odd Nansen was born in the villa and he lived there with his family until the year 1948. At that year he let build a new house that he designed himself. In the villa was later established Fridtjof Nansens Institute. When we visited the city, we came close to Polhøgda and had an opportunity to see it properly. We could also see the grave of Fridtjof Nansen, for it lies on the same ground.
In the photo is one of the last letters of Odd Nansen, that he wrote to his father, Fridtjof Nansen in the year 1930. The relationship between father and son would not be very warm. They grew closer just after Fridtjof came to visit his son to Trondheim, where Odd studied at the technical school NTH.
Source: This photo is from a book Odd Nansen. Arvtageren.
One of the greatest experiences during our stay in Oslo for me was meeting a writer Anne Ellingsen. She studied social anthropology and wrote Odd Nansen’s biography Odd Nansen. Arvtageren (heir). Her lecture was very interesting and enriching. She talked about her search in archives and reading Nansen’s letters that she used for writing her book. This book was a very important source of information, that I would not otherwise have access to.
Photo: Anne Ellingsen
Photo by: Petra Vrbová
