Knute (Sven August) Heldner (Swedish/American, 1875 – 1952) New Orleans Courtyard, early 20th century Oil on board Signed to lower right Knute Heldner (1886–1952) was a Swedish-born painter and woodcarver best known for the Louisiana landscapes he created during the later years of his career in New Orleans, where he gained both national and international recognition. Born in Vederslöv, Småland, Sweden, Heldner studied at the Karlskrona Technical School and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm. He immigrated to the United States around 1902, first settling in Boston before moving to the Great Lakes region. In Minnesota, he worked as a miner, cobbler, and lumber camp cook while continuing his art education at the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts. His early paintings often depicted the lives and labor of miners and lumber workers.