Jacob Löfgren - Storm over Sandhamn, 1943

Jacob Löfgren (1872-1961) Sweden

Storm over Sandhamn, 1943

oil on board
singed and dated J.Löfgren 1943
unframed: 35 x 45 cm (13 3/4 x 17 3/4 in)
framed: 46 x 55 cm (18 1/8 x 21 5/8 in)

Essay:

This striking seascape, painted in 1943 by Jacob Löfgren, most likely depicts a view from Sandhamn, a location he frequently captured in his works. Four years earlier, he created another painting, presumably from the same spot, which is confirmed to have been painted in Sandhamn. Comparing the two, we can see how he refined his vision—the foreground, the water, and the lighthouse in the background remain, yet the elements are intensified. The waves surge with greater power, the clouds are more dramatic, and a few glowing stars now punctuate the dark sky. The scene is bathed in deep blue tones, enhancing its atmospheric depth.


Jacob Löfgren - From Sandhamn, View of Grönskär Lighthouse, 1939

Grönskär Lighthouse – The Queen of the Baltic

The lighthouse in the background is most likely Grönskär Lighthouse, also known as The Queen of the Baltic Sea. Located three nautical miles east of Sandhamn, it stands on barren, rugged cliffs that plunge steeply into the sea. This beautifully preserved stone tower is one of the most iconic landmarks of Sweden’s east coast.

Built in 1770 from granite and sandstone, the lighthouse was originally fueled by coal before being upgraded in 1910 with a powerful Lux lamp. In early 1984, it was transferred to the Archipelago Foundation to be preserved as a historical monument to past maritime navigation and safety. Today, the lighthouse still shines with a welcoming green light, a guiding beacon for sailors braving the unpredictable Baltic waters.

The former lighthouse keeper’s residence now serves as a conference venue, offering breathtaking views toward the horizon. Nowhere else does the sea feel closer—especially when the wind howls and storms rage outside, much like in Löfgren’s evocative painting.

The Löfgren Brothers – Artists of Sandhamn

Three of the Löfgren siblings were active artists in Sandhamn, each pursuing their own creative path.

• Jacob Löfgren (1872–1961), a former sailor, was self-taught and painted mostly in oil, focusing on Sandhamn and its surroundings. He began painting around 1940, capturing the shifting moods of the archipelago.
• Rickard Löfgren (1873–1952), also a sailor and self-taught artist, dedicated himself exclusively to crafting dioramas of sailing ships, starting his artistic career in the 1940s.
• Helmer Löfgren (1866–1955) trained as a sculptor in Germany and at the Konstnärsförbundets school in Stockholm. In 1890–91, he created the sculpture Havsfrun, placed in a giant kettle hole below the chapel in Sandhamn. However, due to unfulfilled love, he abandoned his studies and withdrew from society, living as a recluse. He left behind numerous small sculptures, often depicting seagulls.