Maja Refsum

{{Short description|Norwegian sculptor and teacher}}

{{Use dmy dates | date=January 2024}}

Maja Refsum (23 September 1897 – 11 January 1986) was a Norwegian sculptor and teacher.{{cite encyclopedia |title=Maja Refsum |encyclopedia=Norsk biografisk leksikon|first=Reidar |last=Storaas |editor=Helle, Knut |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |location=Oslo|url=http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Maja_Refsum/utdypning |language=Norwegian|accessdate=7 August 2010}}

She grew up in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. She was the daughter of Harald Refsum (1866-1950) and Hanna Ovidia Yssen (1863-1944). She was the aunt of Sigrid Christie (1923-2004), who was married to noted antiquarian Håkon Christie.{{cite web|url=https://snl.no/Sigrid_Christie|title=Sigrid Christie|publisher= Store norske leksikon|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}

{{cite web|url=https://snl.no/H%C3%A5kon_Christie|title=Håkon Christie|publisher= Store norske leksikon|author= Bjørn Cappelen|accessdate= May 1, 2017}} She was married to art historian and head of Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage Arne Nygård-Nilssen.{{cite web|url=https://snl.no/Arne_Nyg%C3%A5rd-Nilssen|title=Arne Nygård-Nilssen|publisher= Store norske leksikon|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}

{{cite encyclopedia |title=Maja Refsum |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |editor=Henriksen, Petter |location=Oslo |url=http://www.snl.no/Maja_Refsum |language=Norwegian | accessdate=7 August 2010 }}

Their daughter Kirsti (1935-) married Carsten Hopstock.{{cite encyclopedia|year=|title=Carsten Hopstock|encyclopedia=Norsk biografisk leksikon|first=Torgeir|last=Kjos|editor=Helle, Knut|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|url=http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Carsten_Hopstock/utdypning|language=Norwegian|accessdate=26 December 2010}}

At the State Crafts and Art Industry School (1917–19) she had Lars Utne as a supervisor. She furthered her education at the art academy in Kristiania with Gunnar Utsond (1919–20) and at Bauhaus University in Weimar under Richard Engelmann, director of the Sculpture School (1921-22).{{cite web|url=https://snl.no/Gunnar_Utsond|title=Gunnar Utsond|publisher= Store norske leksikon|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}

She is represented in the National Gallery of Norway with the terracotta sculpture Bruden pyntes. Among her most important works is her sculpture of writer Amalie Skram situated at Nordnes in Bergen, Norway.

{{cite web|url=https://snl.no/Amalie_Skram|title= Amalie Skram|publisher= Store norske leksikon|author= Erik Bjerck Hagen|accessdate= 1 May 2017}}