Johan Sebastian Welhaven

Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven (22 December 1807 – 21 October 1873) was a Norwegian author, poet, critic and art theorist. He has been considered "one of the greatest figures in Norwegian literature."

Johan Welhaven was born in Bergen, Norway in 1807. His grandfather, Johan Andrew Welhaven (1748–1811) was a teacher and later assistant to the pastor at St Mary's Church (Mariakirken), which served the city's German community. The author's father, Johan Ernst Welhaven (1775–1828), was a pastor at St. George's Hospital, (St. Jørgens spedalskehospital), while his mother, Else Margaret Cammermeyer, was the daughter of Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer, resident chaplain of The Cross Church (Korskirken).

Johan Welhaven was the member of an accomplished family which included his sister socialite Maren Sars, the wife of theologian and biologist Michael Sars (1805–1869), and mother of historian, Ernst Sars (1835–1917), marine biologist Georg Ossian Sars (1837–1927) and mezzosoprano singer Eva Nansen (1858–1907). Johan Welhaven was himself the father of Norwegian architect Hjalmar Welhaven.

Welhaven attended Bergen Cathedral School from 1817-25. In 1828 he began to study theology under the supervision of his father, but that same year his father died, and thus, Welhaven continued his studies at the university in the capital, where he came to live the rest of his life. After his final exams at the University of Christiania in 1827, he devoted himself to literature.

In 1836 he had visited France and Germany; and in 1858 he went to Italy to study archaeology. In 1840, he was appointed lecturer in philosophy at the Royal Frederik's University in Christiania and delivered a series of lectures on literary subjects.

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