This early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Poul Friis Nybo (1847-1932) depicts breaking waves on the coast of North Zealand, Denmark.
Nybo painted this outside, standing by his easel on the sands at North Zealand. The sound of breakers ever-present, the occasional sailboat gliding through a sun-bleached horizon. He came to relax, mixing business with pleasure, and capturing this blissful moment in shimmering tints.
For many years he’d been unwell, which slowed his career. These Summer escapes to the beaches close to home served as a tonic. The vivid sunrays radiating from a crack in the clouds are perhaps an optimistic metaphor for better times ahead.
The work is currently unframed but would hang well as a canvas.
Signed lower right.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 37½” x 25½” / 96cm x 65cm
Year of creation: c. 1920
Condition: Artwork presents well. Areas of craquelure but the paint is stable.
Artist’s auction maximum: £2,800
Poul Friis Nybo studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen before attending Kristian Zahrtmann's School. He also travelled to Paris in 1905 and 1907. He exhibited at the Charlottenburg Spring exhibitions.
Learn more about Poul Friis Nybo in our directory.
We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
