Elias Erdtman - Boy in a Meadow (1885)
Regular price 32 778 krElias Erdtman (1862-1945) Sweden
Boy in a Meadow (1885)
oil on canvas laid board
unframed 13 x 28.5 cm (5.1 x 11.2 inches)
framed 24.5 x 39 cm (approx. 9.6 x 15.4 inches)
Initialed "E"
Essay:
In this intimate landscape study, a young boy lies face-down among the tall grasses of a sunlit meadow. Elias Erdtman painted this serene scene in 1885 during a stay in the coastal village of Heyst-sur-Mer, Belgium – a period when he was producing numerous plein air landscape studies. The composition exudes a quiet, pastoral charm: the child’s figure is nestled naturally into the lush green field, conveying a sense of innocence and the simple joys of summer.
Erdtman’s brushwork is confident yet delicate, capturing the play of light and shadow across the grass and the boy’s form with remarkable immediacy. Despite its small scale, the painting offers a vivid slice of life, transporting the viewer to a tranquil moment under the open sky.
Elias Erdtman’s Artistic Journey:
Elias Erdtman (1862–1945) was a Swedish artist known for his evocative landscapes and keen eye for nature’s subtleties. After formal training at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, he traveled extensively across Europe to refine his craft. These travels brought him to artistic hubs like Germany, Belgium, and France, where he absorbed new influences and techniques. In 1886, Erdtman joined the thriving artists’ colony at Grez-sur-Loing in France – a vibrant gathering place for international painters – immersing himself in a creative exchange of ideas. During these formative years abroad, he greatly developed his technique and artistic vision, especially in capturing light and atmosphere directly from nature. This cosmopolitan experience is reflected in Boy in a Meadow. The painting’s naturalistic detail and luminous atmosphere showcase the artist’s refined plein air technique, honed on foreign soil but applied with heartfelt sensibility to a humble rural subject. Erdtman’s travels and studies endowed him with a broadened perspective that shines through in the work’s composition and execution. His ability to infuse a simple outdoor scene with both realism and warmth became a hallmark of his style – one that he carried into his later career painting the landscapes of his native Sweden.
Notably, Elias Erdtman’s works are held in the collections of Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and other Swedish art museums.
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