This early 20th-century oil painting by Swedish artist Sam Uhrdin (1886-1964) depicts a rustic interior with a woman knitting while her baby sleeps in a wooden cot.

In 1933 the European art world was electrified by the modernists - Picasso was in his 50s, Matisse was in his 60s, the surrealists were in full swing, and the German expressionists were established. Yet, Sam Uhrdin, who had been exposed to the emerging trends, refused to adapt. Preferring instead to reminisce about a simpler time in rural Sweden. When the pace was dictated by the reassuring tick of a grandfather clock.

His interiors are humble, revealing themselves on closer inspection. Upon first glance, we’re drawn to the seated woman, her headscarf illuminated in brilliant white, a deliberate focal point. Then perhaps we see the sleeping child, rocked gently by the aproned knee of its mother. But ultimately, we rest upon the window, and through it a plush garden, together with another building.

Uhrdin lived in Stockholm but painted the country. Rural interiors, quiet moments, and quality craftsmanship

Signed/dated lower left and held within a Dutch-inspired wooden frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 39½” x 36½” / 101cm x 92cm
Year of creation: 1933
Provenance: Private collection, Sweden.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £14,836

Sam Uhrdin

Sam Uhrdin (1886-1964) was an accomplished Swedish painter predominantly known for his scenes depicting traditional families within rustic interiors. He trained at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm and his works are held in numerous public collections.

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