This early 20th-century oil painting by Swedish artist Fredrik Waldemar (Baldomero) Fahlström (1870-1913) depicts a man dressed in middle-eastern clothing.
Cutting a fine form in profile, this young gentleman is rendered with a confident touch. His lilac garment an amalgamation of broad dashes in various tints, while his prominent features are highlighted.
Fahlström worked quickly here and it’s possibly a study undertaken during his time as a drawing teacher. Although, it’s equally plausible that, as a well-travelled man, the artist encountered the sitter during a visit to Morocco or Egypt. He’s wearing a turban and fez, which could signify religion, or alternatively as a status symbol. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, you needed wealth to travel.
Either way, it’s a masterful little piece.
Signed lower left and held within a later frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 22” x 25½” / 59cm x 65cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.
Fahlström worked as a drawing teacher at the military school in Valparaiso. He died young during a trip from Chile to Sweden.
Learn more about Fredrik Waldemar (Baldomero) Fahlström 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.
