Anna Boberg - Low Water on the Nile

Anna Boberg (1864–1935), Sweden

Lågvatten i Nilen (Low Water on the Nile), c. 1915–1920

oil on canvas laid on board
unframed 44 × 60 cm (17⅜ × 23⅝ in)
signed A. Boberg

Essay:
Lågvatten i Nilen is a depiction of the Nile River during low water, painted during one of Anna Boberg’s extended stays in North Africa. The composition unfolds horizontally along the riverbank, where a group of herons wade through the shallow water and exposed mudflats. Their elongated forms punctuate the reflective surface of the river, creating a quiet rhythm that leads the eye across the scene. The water mirrors the sky above, and the low tide reveals subtle textures of earth and sediment beneath the surface.

The light is warm and enveloping, suggesting either early morning or late afternoon, when the sun casts long reflections and softens contours. Boberg’s brushwork is free and responsive, capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere rather than descriptive detail, a stly reminiscent of contemporary artist Ivan Agueli (1869–1917). The palette is restrained yet radiant, dominated by sandy ochres, pale blues, and muted greens, conveying both the heat and stillness of the Nile landscape. The overall mood is serene and meditative, emphasizing the harmony between wildlife and environment.

This painting belongs to a pivotal period in Anna Boberg’s artistic life, shaped by extensive travel with her husband, the architect Ferdinand Boberg. Following the First World War and a period of illness, the couple left Sweden and spent prolonged periods in Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Their journeys took them to Egypt, where Boberg encountered the landscapes of the Nile firsthand. These travels introduced new light conditions, colors, and motifs into her work, expanding her visual language beyond the Nordic settings for which she was already renowned.

The Nile, with its cyclical rhythms and unique relationship between water, land, and life, offered Boberg a subject rich in both visual and symbolic resonance. Lågvatten i Nilen reflects her attentive observation of this environment, translating a specific geographical experience into a universal meditation on nature, light, and time.

Although executed far from Scandinavia, Lågvatten i Nilen remains deeply characteristic of Anna Boberg’s artistic approach. Throughout her career, she demonstrated an exceptional sensitivity to atmospheric conditions, whether depicting Arctic seascapes, Nordic twilight, or southern sunlight. Her method, rooted in plein air painting, prioritizes immediacy and emotional truth over strict topographical accuracy.

In this work, Boberg adapts her technique to the Egyptian landscape, yet retains the same concern for mood and light that defines her northern scenes. The herons are integrated seamlessly into the environment, their forms emerging from subtle contrasts of tone rather than sharp outlines. The painting exemplifies her ability to absorb new influences while maintaining a coherent personal vision.

Exhibtion:
Liljevalchs Art Hall, "Separata utställningar av Anna Boberg, Olle Hjortzberg, Rikard Lindström m. fl.", 29 september - 21 oktober 1923, cat. no 21 as "Lågvatten i Nilen".

Condition and Frame

The painting was carefully restored in 2025 by conservator Sonia Leon, The canvas laid on panel is secure and flat, the colors are bright and clear. The work is presented in a period-style frame made in 2025 by Stockholms Bildhuggeri och Förgyllning.

Provenance

Acquired in the late 1950s by the previous owner,
by descent within the same family until 2025