Ferdinand Boberg - Snow-Laden Trees

Ferdinand Boberg (1860–1946)

Snow-Laden Trees

Ink and watercolor with black framing lines on cardboard
signed BOBERG.
18 x 13 cm (approx. 7.1 x 5.1 in)
frame: 40.5 x 35 cm (approx. 15.9 x 13.8 in)

Ferdinand Boberg was one of Sweden’s foremost architects around the turn of the twentieth century, responsible for iconic buildings such as the Central Post Office, Nordiska Kompaniet, and Rosenbad. After retiring from architecture in 1915, he turned increasingly to art. Together with his wife, the artist Anna Boberg, he travelled extensively throughout Sweden, producing thousands of drawings and watercolors that documented both urban environments and rural landscapes. Many of these works were later published in the celebrated series Svenska bilder (Swedish Images).

In Snow-Laden Trees, Boberg captures the serene atmosphere of a Swedish winter. Heavy snow rests on trees along the water’s edge, their reflections shimmering on the dark surface below. Subtle washes of blue and violet convey the crisp air and stillness of the scene, while touches of earthy brown bring warmth to the otherwise cool palette.

The composition reflects Boberg’s dual sensibility: the structural precision of an architect combined with the poetic vision of an artist. Works like this reveal how Boberg’s legacy extends beyond architecture, preserving Sweden’s landscapes with the same sensitivity and clarity that defined his buildings.