Carl Einer Kedja 1907-1991

Carl Einar Waldemar Kedja was born on 8th November 1907 in Kalmar, south-east Sweden. He was a Swedish painter and (heraldic) designer

He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts (Konstakademien) in Stockholm (1929-1934) after which he gained a travel scolarship and travelled to Rome and Florence in 1934. He married Irma Elisabeth Ljunggren in 1936

Kedja was the artistic director of The National Heraldary Office (Riksheraldikerämbetet) in Stockolm between 1936 and 1939 - In 1939, he received the Swedish Handicraft Association's (Svenska slöjdförenings) scholarship to study (heraldic art) abroad. In 1939 he founded the Heraldic Society (Heraldiska samfundet) with his colleague Harald Gustaf Fleetwood (1879-1960) where he worked until 1946.

In 1945, Kedja returned to education and attended the Royal Academy of Art (Kungliga konstakademiens) in Stockholm, where he studied graphic design. In 1947 he attended The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (Det Kongelige Academie for de Kunster) in Copenhagen where he studied under the Danish artist and designer Aksel Jørgensen (1883-1957)

Kedja exhibited at SDS-hall in Malmö (1948) and the Kalmar Castle (also in Malmö) and the Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg in 1950. He aslo participated in the Swedish Art Association (Sveriges Konstförenings) exhibitions in 1945 and 1950

Examples of Kedja work are held in the collections of the National Museum (Nationalmuseum) in Stockholm, the National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum för Kunst) in Copenhagen, the Royal Army Museum (Kungliga Armémuséum) in Stockholm and at the Vatican in Rome

Kedja died in 1991, aged 84.