This early 20th-century oil painting by Swedish artist Hugo Carlberg (1880-1943) depicts a chilly landscape with lake.
Sinuous trees, bereft of leaves, protrude like the veins of mid-winter. The sky, cramped with plump clouds hangs heavy over a distant wood. There’s a bite in the air, here by the lake. An icy chill captured with an expressive amplification of cool tones. A fleecy coat, weighty boots, and a patchwork of glistening frost.
Carlberg’s brushwork is indicative of his training on the continent. It’s post-impressionistic, derived from an excitement of changing times. He trained first at the formal Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts but soon immersed himself in the vivid swirls of Parisian modernity. He came to Paris in around 1905, at a time when Picasso was also in the French capital. The cafes were blossoming, the nightlife electrifying, the artistic scene unparalleled.
Signed/dated lower left and framed.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 22” x 21” / 56cm x 52cm
Year of creation: 1918
Provenance: Private collection, Sweden.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £2,266
Hugo Carlberg was an accomplished Swedish painter of portraits and landscapes, particularly views in Småland or harbour scenes in Bornholm. He trained at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm and also under August Malmström. His works are held in numerous public collections including the Moderna Muséet and the National Museum.
Learn more about Hugo Carlberg 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 often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
