Þorvaldur Skúlason (April 30, 1906 – August 30, 1984) was an Icelandic painter
who was one of the pioneers of abstract art in Iceland, influenced by
the French Cubist movement that he became acquainted with in France in
the 1940s. His largest collection of works is owned by the University of
Iceland's Art Museum, which was established in 1980 through a donation
of artworks by the couple Sverrir Sigurðsson and Ingibjörg
Guðmundsdóttir. Þorvaldur's works constituted the backbone of their
collection (117 out of 140 pieces).

Þorvaldur was born in Borðeyri by Hrútafjörður on the Coasts, the son of the
factor at Riisverslunin, Skúli Jónsson, and Elín Theodórsdóttir. When he
was three years old, the family moved to Blönduós where he grew up. At
the age of fourteen, he became a choirboy on the passenger ship MS
Gullfoss, but a year later, he broke his leg and spent his time drawing.
In the autumn of 1921, he moved to Reykjavík and received instruction
from Ásgrímur Jónsson.

In 1927, he exhibited his works at the 7th General Art Exhibition of the
Reykjavik Art Society, and on February 16, 1928, he held his first solo
exhibition. The same year, he went to study at the art school in Oslo.
In 1931, he moved to Paris, and then to Copenhagen in 1933, and once
again to France in 1934. In 1940, he moved back to Iceland with his
family due to the German occupation.

After returning to Iceland, he mainly lived in Reykjavík and actively
participated in exhibitions organized by the Society of Icelandic Visual
Artists and the Septem Group, among others.