His father, Gustaf, was a Commissioner in the Swedish National Audit Office. He studied art at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts from 1891 to 1896 while also taking lessons at the . What would become a major factor in his later career was a visit he made to Dalarna in 1894. He was captivated by the folk culture there and settled in the village of Ullvi, near Leksand, in 1897; decorating his farm with locally made furniture and craft objects. A painting he produced at that time ("Wake in Leksand") was successfully shown at the General Art and Industrial Exposition of Stockholm. This was followed by several lengthy study trips to France, Germany and the Low Countries from 1898 to 1901.