Oscar Jacobson

Oscar Jacobson, born in Vastervik, Sweden, was a renowned artist who painted landscapes across the American Southwest and West, including Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and California. After immigrating to the U.S. at age eight, Jacobson worked on ranches in the West and earned enough to pursue his education. He graduated from Bethany College in Kansas in 1908, studying under Birger Sandzen, and later attended Yale University.
Jacobson’s summers were spent painting throughout the Western U.S., often from his studio in Allenspark, Colorado. He also studied at the Louvre in Paris and taught art at the University of Oklahoma from 1916 to 1945, where he was instrumental in supporting Native American artists. As Director of the School of Art, he helped the “Five Kiowas” gain international recognition. Jacobson was also a lecturer for the Park Service and a technical adviser for the Public Works Administration, leaving a lasting impact on American art.