Per Wickenberg - Evening Calm, Fishing Boats at Anchor

Per Wickenberg (1812–1846) Sweden

Evening Calm, Fishing Boats at Anchor, c. 1835

signed lower left
oil on canvas
unframed 28 × 37.5 cm (11 × 14.8 in)
framed 42.5 × 51 cm (16.7 × 20.1 in)

Provenance:
A Swedish private collection. 

Essay:
Evening Calm, Fishing Boats at Anchor is a painting Per Wickenberg, capturing a serene twilight along a sheltered coast. Fishing boats rest quietly at anchor, their sails lowered and rigging silhouetted against the last light of day. Figures can be seen aboard, engaged in the last duties of the evening. The sea lies still, reflecting the warm tones of the sky and the subtle play of clouds drifting in from the horizon. At the painting’s left edge, a solitary horseman makes his way down a low rocky path, bringing a faint human narrative to the otherwise peaceful setting. Seabirds glide over the water, their motion echoing the tranquil rhythm of the scene.

Wickenberg renders the atmosphere with clarity and restraint. The balance between light and dark, sky and sea, stillness and subtle activity speaks to his technical refinement and artistic maturity. The warm, golden light is offset by the rising grey clouds, perhaps signalling a shift in weather, or more likely evoking the melancholic calm so often associated with maritime Romanticism. The composition is closely observed yet never overworked, allowing nature to remain the dominant presence. Every figure, boat and reflection is rendered with precision, yet integrated into the overall harmony of the scene.

This painting stands within the genre of coastal realism that flourished in Northern Europe during the early to mid-19th century. Rather than depicting the dramatic power of the sea, Wickenberg here focuses on its gentler character. The stillness of the water and the quiet presence of working vessels reflect a moment of daily life rather than a heroic spectacle. This approach situates the work between the poetic Romantic tradition and the emerging interest in truthful, locally grounded representation. The simplicity of subject, combined with expert handling of light, gives the work both intimacy and grandeur.

Born in Malmö in 1812, Per Wickenberg studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm before continuing his career in Berlin and Paris. He exhibited successfully at the Paris Salons in the late 1830s and was awarded a gold medal. A key moment in his development came during his time in the Low Countries, where he encountered Dutch Golden Age painting. The influence is evident in works such as this: the nuanced treatment of clouded sky, the working figures, the tonal unity, and the naturalistic yet idealised view of the coast all reflect the Dutch tradition, while the brushwork and colour harmony reveal Wickenberg’s personal sensibility.

Although best known for his rural and winter landscapes, Wickenberg also painted several marine and harbour scenes. In them he often explored the relationship between people and water, not in the sense of conflict, but through the quiet rhythms of daily labour and return. The relatively modest size of the work does not lessen its impact; rather, it enhances the sense of intimacy and focus. It invites the viewer to pause, to observe, and to reflect.

Despite his early death in 1846 at the age of only 34, Wickenberg left a significant mark on Swedish art history. His ability to combine academic skill with lyrical expression secured his reputation during his lifetime, and his work remains admired for its craftsmanship and quiet emotional depth.

Comparable Sales
A comparable work by Per Wickenberg, titled Segelfartyg och fiskare (“Sailing Vessels and Fishermen”), was sold by Bukowskis in Stockholm. That painting, depicting a similarly calm coastal setting with fishermen near their anchored boats and a dramatic sky, shares notable compositional features with Evening Calm, Fishing Boats at Anchor. Both works present late-day light with delicate tonal transitions, focus on maritime labour in repose, and balance figuration against expansive nature. 

Condition report:
Good condition. Craquelure visible across the surface, consistent with age.