Multi-talented in the arts, Axel Haartman decided to become an artist as a young man and attended the Turku Drawing School at the age of twelve. He was also a journalist, writing travelogues from Copenhagen for Turku’s Swedish-language newspaper Åbo Underrättelser in his teens, and later spending several years working as an editor and editor-in-chief on the weekly magazine Veckans Krönika. He was also an art critic, writing for papers including the Helsinki Swedish-language newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet. In 1917–1920 art dealer Gösta Stenman employed him in an artistic capacity at his gallery Stenmans Konstsalong in Helsinki, which meant he also had experience as an art dealer. He was also an illustrator, produced art for advertising, and was a writer of fiction and non-fiction. He taught at Turku Drawing School in 1907–1910. In 1923–1953 he was the Director of Turku Art Museum. He and Hedvig moved to Naantali in 1923 after having lived in Helsinki for about ten years. 

Axel was born in Turku. On his mother’s, Hedvig Wrede Haartman’s (1854–1917) side he was related to the Armfelt and Wrede families.