Carl Oscar Borg (1879–1947)

An Old Military Road, The Road over Dovrefjell, Norway

gouache on paper, ca. 1900
signed
sheet 12.5 cm x  17.5 (4.9 x 6.9 in) 
framed 23 × 28 cm (9 × 11 in)

Essay:
This evocative mountain scene captures the vast, windswept highlands of Dovrefjell in central Norway. A narrow ochre road winds gently into the distance, cutting through tundra dotted with lichen-covered rocks, melting snowfields, and pale blue pools. Beyond the foreground, low ridgelines and rounded peaks rise up toward the horizon, tinged with mauves, rusts, and icy whites. The atmosphere is brisk and luminous—suggesting early morning light breaking over a remote, high-altitude plateau.

Dovrefjell, historically a main route between southern and northern Norway, has long been traversed by traders, pilgrims, and soldiers. The title of this work refers to the old military road across the massif—once a key artery for movement through the mountainous terrain. Borg’s painting conveys not only the natural beauty of the place, but also the quiet isolation and historical depth that characterize the region.

Painted around 1900, this gouache dates from Carl Oscar Borg’s earliest period as an artist, just before his emigration to the United States. Unlike his later, more widely known depictions of the American Southwest, this work belongs to a rare group of Scandinavian landscapes he executed as a young man. Here, his brush is loose and expressive, capturing fleeting light and shifting cloud with confident, fluid strokes. The composition is simple yet expansive, inviting the viewer to follow the winding road into the heart of the mountains.

As an early plein-air study, An Old Military Road reveals Borg’s sensitivity to light, land, and mood—qualities that would come to define his mature work. In this small but richly atmospheric piece, we see an artist on the verge of his transatlantic journey, absorbing the Nordic wilderness with a clarity and calm that echo across time.

Carl Oscar Borg (1879-1947) Swedish/American

Arizona Landscape

gouache on paper
signed CARL OSCAR BORG.
unframed: 12 x 17.5 cm (4 3/4 x 6 7/8 in)
framed: 22 x 27 cm (8 5/8 x 10 5/8 in)

Provenance: 
Nagel Auctions, Stuttgart, Germany, 08 dec 2010, lot 1036.

Essay:
In this expressive gouache study, Carl Oscar Borg captures the dramatic sweep of the Arizona highlands, where storm clouds gather over layered mesas and valleys bathed in shifting light. Painted with fluid brushstrokes and a bold sense of contrast, the work reflects the artist’s deep connection to the American Southwest and its untamed beauty. The swirling forms of clouds and shadowed ridges lend the scene a sense of movement and emotional weight.

This compact composition—rendered in gouache on card—embodies the immediacy of a plein air study, likely painted on location during one of Borg’s extensive journeys through Arizona. The chromatic tension between the earthy foreground and the deep blues of the distant hills reflects Borg’s ability to balance drama with harmony.

Born in Sweden in 1879, Carl Oscar Borg immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, eventually settling in California. He became one of the most prominent interpreters of the Southwest, known for his sensitive portrayals of Native American life and his vivid depictions of landscapes in New Mexico, Arizona, and California. His career spanned painting, teaching, and film art direction, and his work is represented in many major American museum collections.

Arizona Landscape is a striking testament to Borg’s gift for capturing not only the geography of the West, but its atmosphere—vast, volatile, and profoundly alive.

Carl Oscar Borg (1879-1947) Swedish/American

Blue Mountains, New Mexico

gouache on paper
signed CARL OSCAR BORG.
unframed: 12 x 17.5 cm (4 3/4 x 6 7/8 in)
framed: 22 x 27 cm (8 5/8 x 10 5/8 in)

Provenance: 
Nagel Auctions, Stuttgart, Germany, 08 dec 2010, lot 1034.

Essay:
In this luminous landscape study, Carl Oscar Borg captures the serene beauty of the New Mexican high desert, likely looking toward Mount Taylor, a sacred peak that rises above the surrounding mesas and plains west of Albuquerque. The distant blue-violet tones of the mountain, softened by atmospheric haze, contrast elegantly with the warmer hues of the foreground—rust-red earth, green groves, and tranquil washes of water.

Painted in gouache on card, this work demonstrates Borg’s characteristic ability to convey depth and radiance with economy and precision. His use of color—subtle yet expressive—evokes the clarity of Southwestern light and the quiet monumentality of its landscapes.

Carl Oscar Borg was born in 1879 in Grinstad, Sweden, and immigrated to the United States at the turn of the century. Settling in California, he rose to prominence as a painter of the American West, becoming particularly known for his respectful depictions of Hopi and Navajo life and for his dramatic renderings of the region’s natural wonders. A multifaceted figure, Borg also worked as a film art director in early Hollywood and was a founding member of the California Art Club. He exhibited widely and is represented in major American museum collections.

In this intimate work, Borg distills the spirit of the Southwest into a quiet but powerful composition—a testament to his deep reverence for the land and its stories.

Carl Oscar Borg (1879–1947) Swedish/American

Easter Fires, Dalsland (Påskeldar, Dalsland)

gouache on paper
signed 
sheet 12.5 cm x 17.5 (4.9 x 6.9 in)
framed 23 x 28 (9 x 11 in) 

Essay:
A rare and atmospheric work from Carl Oscar Borg’s early years in Sweden, this evocative gouache captures the tradition of Easter fires (påskeldar) in the rural region of Dalsland. Against a smoky, windswept sky, silhouettes of figures gather near a roaring blaze. The fire’s bright orange and rose-colored flames cut through the night, casting fleeting light on the surrounding darkness. Quick, expressive brushstrokes heighten the drama of the scene, as heat and movement ripple through the composition.

This painting stands apart from Borg’s later, better-known American landscapes. Here, the focus is not on the grandeur of nature but on a moment of human ritual—communal, ancient, and deeply rooted in Nordic folklore. The påskeldar tradition, still practiced in parts of Sweden, historically served to ward off evil spirits and celebrate the arrival of spring.

Carl Oscar Borg left Sweden in 1901 and became a celebrated interpreter of the American West, painting its deserts, pueblos, and dramatic vistas. But works such as Påskeldar, Dalsland offer a rare glimpse into his early artistic vision—when his palette was still shaped by the dusky forests and folk customs of his native land. It reveals a different side of Borg: not the chronicler of the Wild West, but the young Scandinavian artist attuned to the elemental drama of firelight and shadow.

This intimate gouache glows with memory and myth, a flicker from the artist’s roots before his journey westward began.

Carl Oscar Borg (1879-1947) Swedish/American

Inscription Rock, New Mexico

gouache on paper
signed CARL OSCAR BORG.
unframed: 12 x 17.5 cm (4 3/4 x 6 7/8 in)
framed: 22 x 27 cm (8 5/8 x 10 5/8 in)

Provenance: 
Nagel Auctions, Stuttgart, Germany, 08 dec 2010, lot 1037.

Essay:
This striking gouache by Swedish-American artist Carl Oscar Borg depicts the monumental sandstone formation known as Inscription Rock, part of El Morro National Monument in western New Mexico. Towering above the desert plain, this dramatic outcrop has served for centuries as a waypoint for travelers, who carved their names and messages into the soft rock—ranging from ancestral Puebloan petroglyphs to inscriptions by Spanish explorers and American pioneers.

Carl Oscar Borg was born in 1879 in the village of Grinstad, Dalsland, Sweden, and immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. Settling in California, he became a celebrated painter of the American Southwest, capturing its vast landscapes and Native cultures with deep reverence and dramatic flair. Borg was closely associated with the Hopi and Navajo peoples and is often described as their "artistic interpreter."

An influential figure in the California art scene, Borg also worked as an art director during the golden age of silent film and taught at institutions including the California Art Institute and the Santa Barbara School of the Arts. His work is represented in major museum collections across the United States.

In Inscription Rock, New Mexico, Borg's sensitive handling of color and texture conveys the spiritual grandeur of the Southwestern landscape. The painting is a fine example of his enduring fascination with the land and its layered histories.

Ecke Hedberg (1868–1959)

Månglitter (“Moon Glitter”), c. 1904–1905

oil on canvas
signed
unframed 52 × 72.5 cm (20½ × 28½ in.)
framed 68 × 88 cm (26¾ × 34¾ in.) 

Exhibited:
Konstnärshuset, joint exhibition of Erik Hedberg, Wilhelm Smith, and Pelle Swedlund, 1905, cat. no. 14: Månglitter.

Provenance:
Private collection, Gothenburg.

Essay:
Månglitter is a luminous nocturne that captures the tranquil radiance of moonlight dancing across a still expanse of water. In this atmospheric composition, a lone rowboat rests at the water’s edge beneath shadowy trees, while the full moon’s reflection stretches in a shimmering golden path across deep blue-black waves. Hedberg employs a restrained, nocturnal palette – rich indigo and velvety midnight tones contrasted with the silvery glow of moonlight – to evoke a mood of quiet contemplation and mystery. The scene is rendered with broad yet confident brushstrokes, subtly blending realism with a poetic, almost dreamlike quality. The result is a compelling harmony of light and shadow, conveying the hushed stämning(mood) of a Scandinavian night.

Painted around 1904–05, Månglitter exemplifies Hedberg’s mastery of stämningsmåleri (mood painting) within his landscape oeuvre. Hedberg – whose given name was Claes Erik Alexander but who went by “Ecke” – was a Swedish landscape painter celebrated for his ability to capture the elusive Nordic light. Educated at the Royal Academy in Stockholm, he later settled in rural Gästrikland (northern Sweden) in 1901, immersing himself in its natural scenery. He has even been called “Gästrikland’s artistic discoverer,” renowned for portraying the province’s lakes, forests, and skies with sensitivity. His talent for depicting nature’s transient light effects is on full display in Månglitter: with bold, expressive brushwork and keen attention to atmospheric detail, Hedberg here captures the Scandinavian Nordic light in the best possible manner. The painting’s serene, moonlit ambiance aligns with Hedberg’s broader fascination with seasonal moods – from autumn twilight scenes to spring dawns – yet Månglitter stands out as an especially refined and technically accomplished example in his body of work.

Månglitter made its debut at a notable 1905 exhibition in Stockholm. In March of that year, Hedberg participated in a joint show at Konstnärshuset (Artists’ House) alongside his contemporaries Wilhelm Smith and Pelle Swedlund. Listed as “Månglitter” in the exhibition catalogue (no. 14), the painting garnered critical acclaim during the show. The writer Henning Berger, reviewing the exhibition, singled out Månglitter for its exceptional technical quality, observing that its execution surpassed even Hedberg’s other seasonal works on display. Berger praised the piece’s confident technique and enchanting effect, placing it among the highlights of Hedberg’s contribution to the exhibition. This contemporary recognition underscores Månglitter’s significance within Hedberg’s oeuvre: it was celebrated as a tour-de-force of måleri(painterly skill) that eloquently captured a fleeting natural atmosphere.

Axel Axelsson (Axelson) (1854-1892) Sweden

A Day in Venice, 1892

oil on canvas
signed and dated 
unframed 24 x 14 cm (9.45 x 5.51 inches)
framed 28 x 18.5 cm (11.02 x 7.28 inches)

Essay: 

This captivating painting by Axel Axelsson (1854-1892), titled "A Day in Venice, 1892", illustrates a moment in Venice in the year 1892. Within the compact dimensions of 24 x 14 cm, Axelson masterfully captures the tasks of daily life in Venice during that time. The scene is centered around a woman drawing water from a well, surrounded by chickens pecking at the ground, which adds a touch of liveliness to the painting. The background features a hanging lamp with blue glass, while a staircase leads the viewer's eye upwards, hinting at unseen spaces and stories beyond.

The courtyard setting is rich with detail: wooden shutters slightly ajar in the upper windows, with laundry hanging to dry, whispering tales of the lives within. A birdcage placed between the windows serves as a charming detail.
Despite the painting's modest size, Axelson's skill in capturing details and atmosphere is evident, showcasing his expertise in architectural and interior motifs.

Axelsson's journey as an artist took him across Europe and North Africa after his studies at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts between 1872 and 1876. Primarily focusing on architectural motifs and church interiors, his works often feature scenes from Venice, Rome, and the Rhine region. His participation in the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts' exhibitions in 1885 and 1887, and his connection to the Lill-Jans artist circle—mentioned in August Strindberg's novel "The Red Room"—highlighting that he was an important artist of his time, unfortunately he is today almost forgotten. 

Axelsson's paintings are held in prestigious collections such as the National Museum in Stockholm, Norrköping's Art Museum, and the Gothenburg Museum of Art. 

Anton Genberg (1862 - 1939) Sweden

Coastal Scene from the West Coast (1923)

oil on canvas
signed and dated
Unframed: 50.5 x 73.5 cm (19⅞ x 28⅞ in)
Framed: 66 x 89 cm (26 x 35 in)

Essay:
Anton Genberg’s coastal painting captures a tranquil harbor scene along Sweden’s west coast. In this 1923 oil painting, a cluster of weathered boathouses stands by the water’s edge, their rustic red facades contrasting with the cool blues of sea and sky. Granite rocks frame the foreground, rendered with confident, textured strokes that convey the solidity of the Bohuslän coast. Genberg’s brushwork is bold and spontaneous – thick impasto layers of paint catch the light on waves and clouds, and in places he has scratched into the wet paint with the brush handle to accentuate rippling water or sunlit highlights. This vigorous technique infuses the scene with drama and life, suggesting the glint of sunlight on waves and a gentle breeze animating the Nordic sky. The composition balances land and sea: calm water occupies the middle ground, reflecting the sky in softer tones, while the shoreline with its boathouses anchors the scene at one side, drawing the eye. A sailboat with a pale sail may be glimpsed in the distance, adding a sense of scale and human presence. Genberg’s nuanced handling of light and color conveys the unique atmosphere of a Scandinavian coastal day – the clarity of northern light warms the red buildings and golden rocks, while casting blue-tinted shadows that evoke a crisp, bright air. Overall, the painting’s mood is serene yet vivid, capturing both the peaceful beauty and the subtle vitality of Sweden’s western archipelago.

Identifying the Setting
The exact locale is not confirmed, the details strongly suggest a small fishing village in Bohuslän, a province famous for its rocky archipelago and red wooden boathouses. Genberg was particularly drawn to the scenic landscapes of Sweden’s west coast – especially Bohuslän – often painting its dramatic cliffs and harbors under the distinctive Nordic light. In the mid-1920s he created coastal scenes in villages like Fiskebäckskil and Fjällbacka, signing those works with their location names. The present view, with its traditional boathouses and granite shore, is reminiscent of those locales. It likely represents a generic Bohuslän harbor or an amalgam of impressions rather than a specific famous landmark. However, the naturalistic accuracy of the scenery – from the shape of the smooth cliffs to the style of the cottages – gives it an authentic sense of place. Viewers familiar with west coast Sweden might recognize common elements of coastal villages: the boathouses perched on rock ledges, small boats moored in sheltered water, and distant islands on the horizon. 

Genberg’s painterly technique in this work is notable for its confident, impressionistic touch. The oils are applied in energetic strokes, at times so thick that they stand in relief, catching real light on the painting’s surface. In several areas, Genberg incised lines through the paint (a technique known as sgraffito) using the end of his brush, for example to delineate fine highlights on water or texture on wooden boards. This combination of broad, layered strokes and delicate incised lines creates a lively surface texture that enlivens the otherwise tranquil scene. Despite the spontaneity of execution, the artist maintains careful control of composition and tone. The horizon is placed relatively high, emphasizing the expanse of sky and giving a sense of open air above the intimate coastal inlet. The color palette is harmonious and naturalistic – dominated by the earthy reds of structures, gray-pink rocks, and cool blues and greens of sea and sky – yet Genberg introduces subtle complementary contrasts (such as hints of orange sunlight in the clouds versus blue shadows on water) to enhance visual interest. The result is a rich, textural painting that is both realistic in detail and expressive in brushwork, inviting the viewer to almost feel the rugged wood and stone and the crisp seaside air.

Artist Background and Significance
Anton Genberg (1862–1939) was a Swedish painter renowned for his landscapes in a lyrical naturalist style. Educated in Stockholm’s art institutions, Genberg developed a distinctive style blending academic realism with a love of Swedish nature. He first gained fame as a painter of the northern mountains and snowy winter scenes – he was celebrated as an interpreter of the Norrland and Jämtland wilderness. Many of his works depict sweeping mountain vistas, serene lakes, and forested valleys, often bathed in atmospheric light and occasionally animated with small figures,. reflecting a Romantic Nationalism in his approach to the Swedish landscape. Yet, as this coastal scene demonstrates, Genberg’s subject matter was not limited to the highlands. He also turned his eye to other quintessential Swedish landscapes, including seaside and archipelago views. His portrayal of the Bohuslän coast in the 1920s reveals the same keen observation and atmospheric sensitivity found in his mountain paintings, capturing the mood and character of the locale with equal skill. Genberg was an established figure in his time: he exhibited internationally (in cities such as Berlin and Buenos Aires) and was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in 1922. Throughout his career, he contributed to the visual identity of Swedish art by celebrating the nation’s natural scenery. Today, Anton Genberg’s works are held in major Swedish museums, including Stockholm’s Nationalmuseum and the Moderna Museet. 

Hilding Werner (1880-1944) Sweden

A Summer Evening’s Dance on the Lake (1921)

watercolor on paper
signed and dated 
image 23.5 × 38.5 cm (9.3 × 15.2 in)
framed 35 × 50 cm (13.8 × 19.7 in)

Provenance:
A private collection , Arvika, Sweden. 

Essay:
In this poetic lakeside scene, Hilding Werner transports the viewer to a tranquil Scandinavian summer night at the turn of the century. Four couples dance gaily upon a wooden raft or barge gently afloat near the shore, their figures illuminated by a magical evening light that infuses the sky and water with a golden glow. The setting is serene – the lake’s surface mirrors the fading colors of sunset, and distant tree-lined banks are bathed in the warm dusk. The atmosphere is at once festive and peaceful: while the dancers twirl in merriment, the stillness of the broad lake and the soft twilight hues impart a sense of calm reverie.

Werner’s attention to human detail enriches the composition’s storytelling. A fiddler sits off to the side, violin tucked under his chin, serenading the dancers with lively folk tunes. At the edge of the raft, a gentleman sits contentedly smoking a pipe, watching the revelry unfold – a charming vignette that lends the work an intimate, lived-in quality. These touches of everyday life amid the almost dreamlike landscape spark our curiosity. One can almost hear the distant strains of the violin and the gentle laughter echoing over the water. The painting invites the viewer to imagine stepping into that moment – to feel the wooden raft sway softly underfoot, inhale the summer night air tinged with pipe smoke, and bask in the late 19th-century folkloric joy of the occasion.

Though completed in 1921, this watercolor is based on a study from 1899. Werner revisits a youthful memory from the end of the 19th century, painting it with the wisdom and sentiment of an older artist. The result is an artwork imbued with lyricism and longing – a visual poem of Swedish summer nights. The mellow twilight – a hallmark in Werner’s landscapes – casts a spell over the scene, symbolically bridging the two decades between the event and the painting. As we gaze upon the dancers and the fading light, we are left to wonder what it must have felt like to be there on that idyllic evening in 1899, dancing happily on a lake under the endless northern twilight.

About Hilding Werner (1880–1944)

Hilding Werner was a Swedish painter and draughtsman celebrated for his romantic yet realistic landscapes, especially those of his native Värmland region. Born in the village of Kårud, Värmland, Werner trained in Stockholm at Caleb Althin’s art school and later at the progressive Artists’ Association School under distinguished mentors including Anders Zorn and Nils Kreuger. Immersed in the artistic circles of his time, he exhibited with the Konstnärsförbundet (Artists’ Association), a forward-thinking group of Swedish artists, early in his career. This solid foundation placed Werner among a generation of Swedish Impressionist-influenced painters who bridged academic realism with a modern, light-infused vision.

Werner’s artistic significance lies in his ability to capture the spirit of the Swedish landscape with both technical skill and emotive power. He found his most treasured subjects in the enchanted scenery of Värmland – from silent winter forests to broad lakes at dusk – and painted them with a lyrical, almost symbolist sensibility. His most acclaimed works are panoramic views of lakes and dense forests suffused with the glowing colors of sunset or dawn, reflecting a profound love and “veneration for Swedish nature.” In the watercolor described above, one sees Werner’s hallmark strengths on display: an exquisite handling of natural light and atmosphere, and a deeply poetic mood that elevates a humble rural moment into something timeless. 

Arthur Joseph Meadows (1843–1907)

The Maas below Dort – Sunrise, 1884 

oil on canvas
signed and dated lower right
title and signature inscribed on reverse
unframed: 25.5 x 36 cm (10 x 14 ⅛ in)
framed: 41 x 52 cm (16 ⅛ x 20 ½ in)

Provenance: 
A Swedish private collection. 

Condition:
Recently restored by our professional art conservator. The canvas is intact and unlined, with only minor craquelure. Colors remain vivid, and the delicate glazes of the sky and water are well-preserved. Comes with a newly produced gilded frame. 


A Golden Dawn on the Maas
In this refined marine painting, Arthur Joseph Meadows captures a tranquil sunrise on the river Maas just below the historic city of Dordrecht (“Dort”). The rising sun spreads a golden expanse of sky and water over the scene, suffusing the early morning atmosphere with a luminous glow. A cluster of sailing vessels and local boats drifts calmly on the glassy river, their silhouettes gently animated by the first light of day. On the distant horizon, the ancient spires and rooftops of Dordrecht catch the dawn’s radiance, anchoring the composition in a sense of place and history. The foreground suggests quiet harbor activity: figures tend to boats and cargo in the cool morning air, beginning the day’s work with unhurried rhythm. Meadows’ brushwork and delicate handling of light evoke a peaceful realism – the sky’s warm hues and the river’s mirrored reflections create an almost poetic serenity. This harmonious scene not only celebrates the daily life of a Dutch waterway at dawn, but also harkens back to the great Dutch Golden Age images of Dordrecht bathed in morning light, recalling Aelbert Cuyp’s masterful evocations of sunrise over the Maas. The overall impression is one of elegant calm and luminous atmosphere, inviting the viewer into a moment when nature and commerce meet in gentle balance at daybreak.

The Artist’s Vision and Context
Arthur Joseph Meadows (1843–1907) was a distinguished British marine painter renowned for his atmospheric seascapes and harbor scenes. A leading member of a prolific family of artists, Meadows was trained by his father, the painter James Meadows Sr., and from a young age he traveled widely in search of picturesque coastal vistas. He painted harbors and rivers across England, France, Holland, and even the Mediterranean, displaying a technical appreciation for accurate coastal views instilled in him by his upbringing. Critically influenced by the famed marine artist Clarkson Stanfield in matters of composition and drama, Meadows nonetheless developed his own signature style marked by a soft, subtle palette and keen eye for local detail. He excelled at capturing the nuances of light and weather – here evident in the pearly clouds and gentle haze of sunrise – which lend emotional depth and “peaceful realism” to his work.

By the 1880s, when The Maas below Dort – Sunrise was painted, Meadows was at the height of his powers. He exhibited regularly in London; he showed works at the Royal Academy (1863–1872) and at the British Institution in the 1860s, earning recognition for his evocative maritime subjects. Victorian collectors admired his paintings for their scenic grandeur and atmospheric nuance, and Meadows enjoyed great success in his lifetime, selling widely to private patrons. Indeed, he is “considered the best of the Meadows family of marine artists,” celebrated for seascapes that combine accurate rendering with poetic ambiance. The Maas below Dort – Sunrise perfectly illustrates why Arthur Joseph Meadows remains popular among discerning collectors: it is rich in painterly atmosphere, faithfully yet artfully depicting a serene moment of 19th-century harbor life. The painting’s subject—an idyllic Dutch river scene at dawn—also reflects the artist’s international range and feeds the timeless appeal of maritime art, where natural light and human activity meet on tranquil waters. 

Clara Löfgren (1843–1923) Sweden

Pergola Noor, c.1890

oil on canvas laid down on board
unframed: 27.7 x 26.7 cm (10.9 x 10.5 in)
framed: 35 x 34 cm (13.8 x 13.4 in)

Provenance:
Likely owned by the artist Olof Hermelin (his name inscribed on the reverse)

Essay:
Clara Löfgren’s Pergola Noor is an intimate oil painting from around 1890, depicting a sunlit pergola overgrown with flowering vines. The composition captures a quiet corner of a garden, where dappled sunlight filters through the trellis and foliage, casting delicate patterns across a winding path. The interplay of light and shadow is rendered with sensitivity and warmth, creating an atmosphere of stillness and summer serenity. The title, Pergola Noor, alludes to this radiant quality—noor meaning "light"—a fitting reference to the way illumination permeates the scene and infuses it with softness and life.

This small-format work, executed in oil on canvas laid down on board, possesses a jewel-like quality. Its near-square proportions heighten the sense of intimacy, drawing the viewer into the secluded garden space. The name of fellow artist Olof Hermelin appears on the back, suggesting the work may have once belonged to him. This link between artists of the period offers an intriguing layer of historical connection and shared aesthetic sensibility.

At the time Pergola Noor was painted, Clara Löfgren was an accomplished artist with formal training from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm and further studies in Munich and Paris. Though best known for her portraits—including royal commissions—she was equally adept in landscape and genre scenes. The garden motif of Pergola Noor reflects the influence of plein-air painting and the 19th century’s growing interest in capturing transient effects of light in nature. The treatment of atmosphere and subtle tonal transitions places Löfgren in dialogue with broader European trends of the era.

Clara Löfgren belonged to a generation of Swedish women artists whose work was admired in their time but later undervalued in art history. Alongside peers such as Julia Beck and Emma Ekwall, she navigated a male-dominated art world with determination and skill. These artists built respected careers and exhibited widely, yet their contributions were often overlooked for much of the 20th century. In recent years, however, interest in their work has resurged, and scholars and institutions are now acknowledging the significant role they played in shaping Scandinavian art.

Olle Hjortzberg (1872-1959) Sweden

Portrait of a Young Boy in Red

oil on board
signed with monogram OH 
unframed 41 x 31.5 cm (16 1/8 x 12 3/8 in)
framed 51 x 41.5 cm (20 1/8 x 16 3/8 in)

Provenance:
A Swedish private collection.

Background and Artistic Journey
Olle Hjortzberg (1872–1959) was a prominent Swedish painter and illustrator whose career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, he quickly distinguished himself for his mastery of form and composition. Following his academic studies, he embarked on extensive travels across Europe and the Near East. These journeys had a lasting impact on his palette and approach, inspiring a vibrant, sun-infused color sensibility that would remain a hallmark of his work. While he would go on to become widely known for his decorative church murals and large-scale commissions—including the official poster for the 1912 Stockholm Olympics—Hjortzberg also produced a more intimate body of work, to which this portrait belongs.

Composition and Style
This painting presents a striking portrait of a young Black boy draped in a deep crimson garment, captured in three-quarter view against a textured, warm-toned background.
The contrast between the boy’s skin and the rich folds of the red fabric is handled with extraordinary sensitivity, evoking both academic discipline and painterly warmth. The golden-ochre background envelops the figure in a subtle halo of light, lending the composition a quiet dignity. The confident modeling of the face and fabric suggests an artist deeply attuned to both physical presence and emotional resonance.

Subject Significance and Context
Portraits of individuals of African descent were rare in Nordic art at the early 1900s, and this work stands out for its empathy and composure. The boy’s identity remains unknown, but the portrait was likely painted in Hjortzberg’s Stockholm studio, circa 1930–1940. What makes this portrait exceptional is its lack of exoticism: the subject is presented not as a trope or costume figure, but as a child—present, dignified, and thoughtfully observed. The rich red garment, flowing like a cloak, emphasizes the boy’s quiet strength and individual presence. It is this humanist lens—so essential to Hjortzberg’s artistic ethos—that elevates the portrait beyond mere study into something more enduring and sincere.

Olof Thunman (1879–1944) Sweden

Sandö, Wallda Varby, Halland, 1913 

oil on canvas (laid on panel)
unsigned
unframed 31 x 47 cm (approx. 12.2 x 18.5 in)
framed 42 x 58 cm (approx. 16.5 x 22.8 in)

Provenance: Gift from the artist to Professor Rutger Sernander (1866–1944), Uppsala, and subsequently gifted by Sernander to his daughter Stina Sernander in 1930.

Literature: Olof Thunmans Konst – Förteckning över genom Thunman-utställningen på Upplands nation 1–15 febr. 1942 kända arbeten av konstnären / med en inledning av Nils Ålenius (Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells, 1942), listed in the catalogue as no. 103, p. 7.

Essay:
This painting depicts a quiet rocky landscape with a still, reflective pond nestled among sparse vegetation. In the late-summer light of August 1913, Thunman rendered the terrain of Sandö in Halland with meticulous detail and a subdued color palette. The rocky ground and calm water dominate the scene, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Thunman’s confident handling of oil on canvas captures the texture of lichen-covered stone and the mirror-like surface of the pond, which reflects the pale sky above. The result is an intimate landscape study that conveys both the ruggedness and serenity of Sweden’s west coast. The work’s modest scale (just over 30 by 46 cm) draws the viewer in, as if to privately contemplate this coastal vista. On the reverse of the panel, Thunman inscribed the location and date – “Sandö, Wallda Varby, Halland. Aug. 1913” – along with a dedication indicating he “painted and gave” (pinxit et dedit) the piece to Professor Rutger Sernander, and a later note recording its gift to “Stina” in 1930. These personal notations offer a direct link between the painting and its early owners.

Olof Thunman was a Swedish painter and writer celebrated for his lyrical depictions of the Swedish landscape. Educated at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, he developed a style grounded in Naturalism and tinged with the emerging national romantic spirit of his time. Thunman was also a poet, and in both his art and poetry he focused on scenes from the Swedish countryside, especially his native province of Uppland in east-central Sweden. However, he traveled and painted across the country – from the Uppland archipelago to Västergötland and the West Coast – seeking out views that spoke to his love of nature. In the early 1900s he primarily worked in oils, often painting marine and coastal landscapes, before gradually shifting towards ink drawings and pastels in later years. Thunman’s artistic output is imbued with a deep reverence for Sweden’s natural and cultural heritage, a quality that resonated with many of his contemporaries. He balanced his dual talents in art and literature, at one point even mentoring the young troubadour Evert Taube in painting and poetry. By the time he painted Sandö, Halland 1913, Thunman was in his mid-thirties and in full command of his craft, adept at capturing the subtle atmosphere of a locale. This landscape, though outside his usual Uppland milieu, reflects the same attentive observation and gentle mood found in his best-known works.

The location depicted, Sandö in Halland, lies on Sweden’s southwest coast and is today part of the Vallda Sandö nature reserve. Contrary to its name (which means “Sand Island”), Vallda Sandö is actually a rocky peninsula characterized by coastal meadows, bare granite outcrops, and shallow bays. The northern Halland coast where Sandö is situated offers a mix of sandy beaches and smooth coastal cliffs, with hardy vegetation such as heather and juniper clinging to crevices in the rock. Thunman’s painting likely captures one of the peninsula’s small freshwater or brackish ponds, which periodically form in the low-lying areas near the shore. In the composition, the mirror-like pond serves as a focal point, reflecting the sky and accentuating the openness of the landscape. The sparse plants around the water – perhaps scrubby coastal grasses or heather – hint at the windswept environment typical of Halland’s shoreline. Although the scene is specific to Halland, its untamed natural beauty would have been familiar and meaningful to Swedish viewers of the time, aligning with a broader appreciation for the nation’s diverse landscapes. Sandö’s terrain, with its blend of rock, water, and sky, is emblematic of the Scandinavian coastal scenery that many artists of Thunman’s era sought to immortalize on canvas.

A particularly significant aspect of this work is its dedication to Professor Rutger Sernander (1866–1944), noted on the back. Sernander was a prominent botanist, geologist and a pioneer in Sweden’s early nature conservation movement. As a co-founder of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation in 1909 and its early chairman, he championed the protection of natural landscapes and had a profound interest in the flora and ecology of regions like Uppland. Thunman and Sernander were close friends, connected by shared values and mutual respect. Both men were part of a generation that viewed the Swedish landscape as a wellspring of national identity and inspiration. Sernander in particular espoused a philosophy sometimes described as “nature-nationalism,” which blended scientific conservation with a love of country. This ethos found a kindred spirit in Thunman, whose art and poetry celebrated the “unrivaled Swedish countryside”. In fact, Sernander and Thunman were kindred souls in their devotion to the Uppland landscape – Sernander as a scientist and advocate, Thunman as an artist and poet – both sensing that traditional pastoral scenes were in danger of disappearing with modern changes. Their friendship extended into artistic patronage: Thunman gifted this painting to Sernander, presumably as a token of esteem and shared passion for nature’s beauty. One can imagine the botanist-professor treasuring this Halland seascape as a complement to his beloved Uppland fields – a reminder of Sweden’s varied environments worth cherishing. The inscription “Olle Thunman pinxit et dedit” (Latin for “Olle Thunman painted and gave [this]”) formalizes that gift, and the further note “Till Stina 27.5.1930 av pappa” shows that Sernander later passed the painting on to his daughter Stina in 1930. This chain of dedication and inheritance speaks to the personal value the artwork held: it was not only a landscape painting but also a memento of friendship and family legacy.

Emma Ekwall (1838–1925)

The Wool Winder (1877)

oil on canvas
unframed 57 × 47 cm (22.4 × 18.5 inches)
framed 72.5 × 63 cm (28.5 × 24.8 inches)
signed and dated: Emma Ekwall 1877

Essay:
In The Wool Winder, Emma Ekwall captures a moment of quiet domestic intimacy between a young woman and a man as they wind wool together—she with focused care, he with gentle attentiveness. The yarn, drawn from a basket at their feet, winds its way across the floor and through their hands, forming both a literal and symbolic thread of connection between them.

The scene is rendered with remarkable clarity and warmth. Details such as the carefully painted porcelain vase, the folded blanket with floral print, and the rifle resting nearby add narrative richness and suggest a life beyond the frame. The woman’s face, delicately modeled and softly lit, becomes the emotional heart of the composition. Her thoughtful expression and modest posture invite the viewer to imagine what unspoken emotions might lie beneath the surface. Is this a simple household task, or a tender moment of courtship?

Emma Ekwall was one of the earliest women to break into the Swedish academic art world. She studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts from 1865–1871, and in 1871 became the first woman to receive the Academy’s royal medal—a distinction that marks her as a true pioneer. Throughout her career, Ekwall became known for genre scenes and portraits that portrayed women and children with insight, grace, and dignity. In The Wool Winder, she combines technical finesse with a subtle psychological touch that sets her apart from many of her contemporaries.

This painting is a fine example of Ekwall’s sensitivity to mood and her ability to infuse everyday scenes with poetic meaning. It speaks not only to the domestic world of 19th-century life, but to the emotional depth and quiet agency of women—subjects she returned to again and again with skill and empathy. Today, her work is represented in several museum collections, including Sweden’s Nationalmuseum.

Condition Report
The painting is in very good condition. The colors remain clear and vibrant. The canvas is structurally sound and stable. The painting is presented in a newly gilded frame, which is included in the sale.