Olof Ahlberg was actually a sculptor, who did not decide to become an artist until he was 22, when he was admitted to the Higher School of Art and Design. Grants allowed him to continue his studies in Germany and later in Paris, and in 1921 and 1923, he travelled to Italy. Prior to that, he worked as a lumberjack and log floater, where he was employed to carve furniture ornaments. Ahlberg worked mainly in marble and bronze, but also experimented with wood and granite, mainly in aesthetic antiquity and art nouveau. He also helped decorate the town hall in Östersund, a square in Strängnäs, and several churches. His works are among the most important ones in Sweden.
Sweden