OTHER

HENRIC ANKARCRONA (1831-1917) SWEDEN

MOTIF FROM THE THEATRE OF MARCELLUS, 1879
MOTIV FRÅN MARCELLUSTEATERN, 1879  

oil on paper
signed with monogram och dated HA 79
19.5 x 14.5 cm
with frame 29 x 24 cm    

Provenance:  A Swedish private collection

GERDA WEGENER (1886-1940) DANISH

ROMANTIC SCENE WITH ELEGANT WOMEN

watercolor and indian inc
signed Gerda Wegener
Sheet size 34×27 cm.

Gerda Wegener was a Danish artist who gained significant recognition in the early 20th century for her exceptional artistry and unique style. She was particularly known for her stunning portraits of elegant women and her bold exploration of gender and sexuality in her art.

"Romantic scene with elegant women," which features three impeccably dressed women and two naked women - one standing in front of a sculpture and the other kneeling, perhaps in tears. This painting is a striking example of Wegener's skillful use of color and her ability to capture the emotional complexity of her subjects.

Wegeners personal life was just as fascinating as her art. She was married to the fellow artist Einar Wegener, who later underwent one of the first known gender confirmation surgeries and became Lili Elbe. Their remarkable love story has been depicted in the movie "The Danish Girl," which was released in 2015.

In the film, Wegener is portrayed as a trailblazing artist who defied societal norms and expectations in her personal life and her art. The movie is a moving tribute to her creativity, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity.

If you are a fan of Gerda Wegener's work, or if you are simply looking for a stunning piece of art to add to your collection, then the "Romantic scene with elegant women" watercolor is an excellent choice. It captures Wegener's unique style and her ability to convey complex emotions through her art. It is a beautiful and timeless piece that will bring joy and inspiration to your home for years to come.

Condition Report:
The paper has turned slightly brown. Minor pin hole in lower left corner.

Sophus Vermehren (Danish, 1866-1950)

A Young Girl Peeling Fruit

oil on canvas
signed S Vermehren
canvas dimensions 49 x 42.5 cm
frame 59.5 x 53 cm

Sophus Vermehren was born as the son of the painter Frederik Vermehren and his wife Thomasine Ludvigne Grüner. He trained as a painter for three years and learned to draw from his father. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1883 to 1892 and made his debut at Charlottenborg in 1893 with a portrait of Professor Adolph Kittendorff. 

Vermehren regularly participated in Charlottenborg's spring exhibition between 1891 and 1915 and several times at Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling. He is represented, among others, at the Statens Museum for Kunst. 

This portrait of A Young Girl Peeling Fruit is a fine piece by this artist, the identity of the sitter is currently unknown. In this painting we see Vermehrens's talent for details, for example how the shadows and the red/pink cheeks on the young girl's face are painted, and the three-dimensional feeling of the fruits and the textiles is painted with confident brush strokes.  

Provenance:
A Swedish Private Collection 

Condition: 
Newly restored by professional art conservator 2022, new frame from 2022. Ready to hang.  

Nils Forsberg (1842-1934) Swedish

Oil Sketch for the Painting "Gustavus II Adolphus before the Battle of Lützen"

oil on canvas
painted c. 1895-1899
stamp signed on the front and authenticated a tergo
canvas dimensions 18.30 x 24.21 inches (46.5 x 61.5 cm)
frame 22.44 x 28.34 inches (57 x 72 cm)

 

This is an oil sketch for the famous painting "Gustavus II Adolphus before the Battle of Lützen" today in the Göteborgs Konstmuseum's collection.
There is something special with an unfinished oil sketch; we are invited to see how the artist's mind worked and how the motif was invented. The spontaneous process has captured art collectors in all of art history; for example, Rubens and Van Dyck often left their work "unfinished" and often quickly painted in under 1 hour.

Nils Forsberg left Sweden in his mid-20s to travel to Paris, this trip was only supposed to last for a couple of weeks, but he remained for 35 years, between 1867 and 1902, where he was, among other things, a student of the painter Léon Bonnat. During his time at Bonnat's school, he became acquainted with the contemporary Swedish artist Gustaf Cederström.

At the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, Forsberg exhibited his largest painting, "Gustaf Adolf before the Battle of Lützen".
Our oil sketch is a preparatory study for one of the men in that painting; he can be found to the far right (see our video).

Provenance:
From a private collection, Sweden

John Henry Dolph (American 1835-1903)

Kittens Drinking Milk

The year was 1835, and John Henry Dolph was born near Lake George, New York. A few years later, his family moved to Ohio. When John Dolph turned fourteen, he began an apprenticeship as a carriage painter in Columbus. He moved back to New York City in 1864 and his works were annually exhibited in the National Academy of Design. In the 1860s, most of his oeuvre was landscapes, but after study trips to Antwerp and Paris, he developed his famous paintings with pets, such as dogs and cats. This painting which depicts three kittens drinking milk is a characteristic painting from his most famous period. When studying these three kittens, it is clear how talented John Dolph was when it comes to depicting pets; cleverly, he left the background in a grey/brown tone so we could focus just on the small cute kittens. Back in New York, Dolph became a member of the Kit Kat Club of avant-garde artists, the Lotus Club and the Salmagundi Club. He was elected into the National Academy of Design in 1877 as an Associate member and became a full Academician in 1898. Dolph lived in the Sherwood Studio Building at 57th and 6th. Sherwood Studio was the first apartment building in NYC made specifically for artists. John H. Dolph died in New York City on September 28, 1903.


signed JHDolph
painted c. 1880-1890
oil on canvas mounted on a board
dimensions 8.66 x 14.76 inches (22 x 37,5 cm)
frame 15.35 x 20.47 (39 x 52 cm)

Provenance:
From a Swedish private art collection

Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard (Also known as Grandville) (1803-1847)

Title: The Bird Wedding

oil on canvas put on wood panel
canvas dimensions 6.29 x 8.26 inches (16 x 21 cm)
frame 8.66 x 10.62 inches (22 x 27 cm)
signed J.J Grandville

Provenance:
A Private Collection Germany; Stockholms Auktionsverk lot 1786605,
21-08-30, As Jean Ignace Isidore Grandville - Bird Wedding.

The art of J.J Grandville can be described as the beginning of Surrealism; in fact, Surrealist artists such as André Breton and Georges Bataille recognised Grandville as a significant precursor and inspiration for the movement. Grandville was a caricaturist artist famous for his illustrations, which often depicted animals or plants in different kinds of human activities. He died young, at forty-three, but in his short life, his work ranged across the entire spectrum of graphic art, from political caricature to book illustration. His oeuvre consists almost exclusively of drawings on paper; this oil on canvas depicting a Bird Wedding can be seen as a rare piece by the artist. It is not known what the purpose of the painting is but Grandville enjoyed experimenting in different styles, which this artwork is a testament to his creative genius.

Condition report:

Restored by professional art conservator 2021, there is small craquelure in the canvas and retouchings in several areas, please contact us for a complete CR. The frame is included in the price. 

EUGÈNE VERBOECKHOVEN (1798-1881) (attributed to)

STUDY OF TWO HEADS OF SHEEP

oil on panel
panel size 7.48 x 14.56 inches (19 x 37 cm)
fine condition
frame included

Provenance: Hampel Auctions Munich, Catalogue VI, Decorative objects & Hampel Living, lot 1235, Catalogued as "attributed to Eugène Verboeckhoven".

Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier (1815–1891)

Head of a Soldier

Ernest Meissonier (1815–1891) was one of the most internationally successful and celebrated artists of his time – but became almost completely forgotten in the 20th century. Not until now is the name of Meissonier starting to be re-introduced to its rightful place in art history, and this sketch "Head of a Soldier" is an example of why.

“–All of us will be forgotten, but Meissonier will be remembered" the painter Eugène Delacroix once said in a conversation with poet Charles Baudelaire. Back then, it was unthinkable to see Meissonier as anything else than one of the most famous and beloved artists alive. His paintings fetched the highest prices and audiences flocked to see his works on exhibitions. Through reproductions and prints the fame of Meissonier spread even wider, and when new major works were exhibited newspapers around Europe was quick to report. Napoleon III employed him as a member of the imperial court to paint military victories and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, who also collected his works, said that Meissonier was “One of the greatest glories of the entire world”. John Ruskin, one of the most influential art critics of his day, was "marvelling at Meissonier's manual dexterity and eye for fascinating minutiae". So, what was it that captivated the 19th-century audience in the art of Meissonier?

Formally, Meissonier belonged to the academic tradition and is mainly known for his history paintings, motifs of Napoleonic battles and victories, genre pieces and some portraits. He was both a painter and a sculptor, and also an accomplished engraver. But beyond the motifs and techniques there were other, more intangible qualities to his art. Like no one else Meissonier could produce almost cinematic artworks filled with bombastic happenings, calm poetry or psychologically precise portraits; all balancing between an extraordinary sense of detail and striking compositions. He is often compared as an artistic parallel to writer Alexandre Dumas in his unique ability to convey stories of pre-Revolutionary France, with all its honourable chivalry and heroic tales.

Many of his motifs, especially the military scenes, were of great emotional value to the 19th-century audience and filled with symbols and references that have long lost their meaning. Meissonier knew how to set the scene and boil down to the perfect moment in a story where it reached its full dramatic potential. Whether he painted battle scenes or portraits, Meissoniers artworks had a curious ability to make the viewer submerged into the scene. Technically, what first seems like an extremely realistic and slightly formal way of painting is on a closer inspection shaped by fast, playful and almost carelessly performed strokes of paint that make the motifs vibrate of life. His tendency to only paint rather small formats also provided a kind of intimacy even to his more pompous sceneries.

The current sketch " Head of a Soldier" shows how Meissonier masterfully built up the composition with only a few brushstrokes. The man's gaze is determined and radiates self-confidence. A detail with extra fine finesse is the end of the brushstroke that is visible at the bottom right; the stroke goes back and forth almost in a circle until the paint runs out. This technique may look simple but is very difficult to master. Meissonier likely took inspiration for this sketch from Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (called Guercino), who made several similar sketches.

It is currently unknown what specific painting this sketch belong to, but as interest in Meissonier grows more research and comparisons can provide more knowledge in the future. Till then, this sketch remains a fascinating fragment of the working process behind one of the most successful yet forgotten artists of art history.

 

Title: Head of a Soldier
oil on canvas
signed with monogram EM
canvas dimensions 25.3 x 19,8 cm
frame 40,5 x 36 cm

Provenance:
Schmitz-Laurent (S.V.V.), Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, 28 nov 2004, lot 15, Soldat à la bourguignotte; Drouot Paris, July 2021, Auction Art Rémy Le Fur & Associés, Lot 571.

Anonymous, Cuzco School

A Portrait of Archangel Raphael With Fish

oil on canvas
1800s
canvas dimensions 22.24 x 15.74 inches (56.5 x 40 cm)
frame 26.77 x 20.47 inches (68 x 52 cm)

Provenance: A Swedish private collection

Claire Eva Burton (B.1955) England 

Title: Silks

signed 'Claire Eva Burton' l.r.,
oil on board
board size 51 x 63.5 cm
frame included

Charles Bouchez (1811-1882) French

A Soldier Blowing the Trumpet

oil on canvas
signed and dated ch. Bouchez 1842
canvas dimensions 6.29 x 4.13 inches (16 x 10.5 cm)
frame 10.23 x 7.87 inches (26 x 20 cm)

Provenance:
A Swedish Private Collection

Carl Bille (1815-1898) Danish

A Ship in Stormy Seas

oil on paper mounted on canvas
signed and dated C Bille 1873
canvas dimensions 12.59 x 15.35 inches (32 x 39 cm)
frame 15.74 18.89 inches (40 x 48 cm)

Provenance:
A Swedish Private Collection

 

A beautiful maritime painting by Danish artist Carl Bille (1815-1898).
He is best known for his dramatic depictions of the sea, often with stormy weather, both daylight and moonlight appear in his paintings.

Alf Wallander (1862-1914) Sweden

Café Scene (Café interiör)

oil on board
signed Alf Wallander
frame 31.49 x 26.77 inches (80 x 68 cm)
panel size 23.89 x 19.29 inches (60.7 x 49 cm)

Provenance:
Sothebys London, lot 178, 07 June 2011, Sale Number: L11112;
Private Collection Sweden

Alf Wallander was the son of the architect Adolf Wallander and Hildegard Sofia Blom. Wallander studied at the Stockholm Royal Academy of Fine Arts 1880–1885, where he had his uncle as a teacher for a while. He further studied for Aimé Morot and Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant in Paris 1885–1889, where he also participated in the Paris Salon in 1889. At the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, he was awarded first prize for his pastel painting Tiggargubbe (Today in Göteborgs Konstmuseum collection). When he returned to Sweden in 1890, he stood behind the controversial group "Opponenterna" and participated in the group's exhibitions during the 1890s. He began his artistic career as a painter and was a member of the Swedish Artists' Association. Under the influence of his friend Oscar Björck in the 1890s, he adopted a symbolist style, which later reappeared in his ceramics.

From 1910 until his death, he was also curator of the Swedish General Art Association and, from 1908, headteacher of freehand drawing at the Technical School in Stockholm. With his wife Gerda Wallander, he exhibited at the Artists' House in 1910 and at the Swedish General Art Association in 1914 and with Oscar Björck, Bruno Liljefors and Prince Eugene at Blanch's Art Salon in Stockholm in 1891. He participated in the Art Academy's exhibition in 1885 arranged by Norrland Art Association in Sundsvall and Söderhamn and the Swedish Artists' Association's exhibitions in Gothenburg, Chicago, Munich, Berlin, Malmö and Paris.
Wallander is represented at Gothenburg Art Museum, Hallwylsiska Museet, National Museum Stockholm, Minneapolis Museum, Nordic Museum, Thielska Galleriet, Prince Eugens Waldemarsudde, Norrköping Art Museum, Uppsala University Library, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Behn. -House in Lübeck.

Dick Beer (b. London 1893 - d. Stockholm 1938) 

oil on canvas
canvas dimensions 54 x 47 cm
signed and dated Dick Beer 1914
painted 1914

Exhibited:
Varias Konstsalong, Stockholm, 1916;
Millesgården – Dick Beer – Impressionist & Kubist, 2012

Provenance:
Within the family Beer until today

Dick Beer (1893-1938)

Dick Beer was born in London in 1893. His father, John Beer (1853-1906), was a Swedish painter from Stockholm who had a career mainly as a watercolour painter with motifs of horses from racetracks and fox hunts from the countryside.

Barely fifteen years old, Dick Beer became an orphan and came to Sweden in 1907. Already in 1908-1909, he started at Althin's painting school in Stockholm. And later, at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1910-1912. His teachers were, among others, Gustaf Cederström, Oscar Björk and Alfred Bergström. 

At this time, Many artists went to Paris, and Dick Beer wasn't an exception; he rented a studio and took every spare time to visit academies such as Colarossi and Grande Chaumière and André Lhote. 

Dick Beer travels to Pont Aven in Brittany over the summer of 1913. In September, he went directly to Stockholm for his first solo exhibition with the French title Exposition des tableaux de Bretagne et autour de Paris; The exhibition was a big success with many visitors. 

1914-1917: First World War:

In the spring of 1914, Dick Beer undertook a longer study trip to Italy, Tunisia, Morocco and Spain.

When the French army mobilized, Dick Beer volunteered and was accepted into the French Foreign Legion. He was severely injured at Souain in September 1915, and the war injuries left him with severe deafness and nerve problems, which became increasingly noticeable over the years. During and after the war, he painted in a post-impressionistic style with a light palette, increasingly tuned in blue and green.

1918-1919

Dick Beer and Ruth Öhrling married in February, and in December, their only child, John, was born. During these years, Beer had a studio at Rådmansgatan in Stockholm. During this time, he paints several large Cubist compositions such as "In the Paddock" and "Arab Café". 

He participated in the Februarigruppen exhibition at Liljevalch's in 1919. His palette turned into a darker colour scheme dominated by green, blue, and red. 

Amedeo Modigliani made a portrait of him in Paris in 1919. 

Throughout his short life, Beer spent most of his time in France and exhibited almost annually in Paris.

The Scandinavian motifs were mostly landscapes around Lake Mälaren and from the Stockholm archipelago, cityscapes, many nude studies and some portraits. 

Dick Beer practised many styles during his 30 years as an artist, from post-impressionism, cubism, late cubism, expressionism and naturalism. 

Dick Beer (b. London 1893 - d. Stockholm 1938) 

oil on board
38 x 45 cm
signed and dated Dick Beer 1920
painted 1920

Exhibited:
The Royal Academy Stockholm, 1973;
Åmells Konsthandel  – En internationell kubist, Stockholm & London, 2008;
Hälsinglands museum, A Cubist 1910s, 2011
Millesgården – Dick Beer – Impressionist & Kubist, 2012

Provenance:
Within the family Beer until today

Cubistic vision:
In the period following the First World War, the artist’s painting underwent a fundamental transformation. Dick Beer was influenced by various modernistic expressions. In Paris, the first wave of cubism, led by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, was established. It was a controversial artistic style. There was a heated debate about cubism, in which the artist broke up the motif into smaller components, sometimes called facets, in order to rebuild it on the flat surface of the pictorial plane. This manner of painting represented a complete break with preceding pictorial conventions and naturalistic painting.

Cubism was governed by theory, not practice, and critics claimed that the style was too intellectual for the general public and they predicted that it would disappear and that artists would return to a rather more classic expression.

The theories surrounding cubism and its various expressions opened up for a number of reinterpretations in the 1910s. Dick Beer was well aware of the cubist discussions. He embraced the ideas but created a varied, personal and emotive cubism in the years around 1918. His painting was often an explosive discharge with playful characteristics and a futuristic dynamism which accentuated the painting’s inherent speed and movement, as for example his works “Dancer” and “The Toy Box”. He also experimented with geometric compositions of buildings and landscapes, which were reminiscent of Paul Cézanne’s more cubic landscapes. Here, Beer’s colours were often muted, in blue, brown and red hues. He frequently returned to earlier motifs and reworked his canvases into a cubist style, as in “Dancer tying her shoes” and “Seated dancer“.

Contemporary art critics were appalled and Beer had to endure severe criticism. At one point, the artist published a reply in the daily Politiken, 1919, where he described his view on art:

“... because love for and understanding of art, ‘l’art pour l’art’, is not easy to achieve, and neither is it easy to comprehend the different movements’ or schools’ origin, goals, characteristic endeavours, etc. – These international phenomena require not only theoretical and art historical knowledge but (...) the ability to empathise with and feel for art, as its practitioners do”.

Dick Beer (b. London 1893 - d. Stockholm 1938) 

From the Mediterranean, Corsica (Från Medelhavet, Korsika)

oil on canvas
37 x 44 cm
stamp signed 
painted before 1922

Exhibited:
Åmells Konsthandel  – En internationell kubist, Stockholm & London, 2008;
Millesgården – Dick Beer – Impressionist & Kubist, 2012

Provenance:
Within the family Beer until today

Cubistic vision:
In the period following the First World War, the artist’s painting underwent a fundamental transformation. Dick Beer was influenced by various modernistic expressions. In Paris, the first wave of cubism, led by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, was established. It was a controversial artistic style. There was a heated debate about cubism, in which the artist broke up the motif into smaller components, sometimes called facets, in order to rebuild it on the flat surface of the pictorial plane. This manner of painting represented a complete break with preceding pictorial conventions and naturalistic painting.

Cubism was governed by theory, not practice, and critics claimed that the style was too intellectual for the general public and they predicted that it would disappear and that artists would return to a rather more classic expression.

The theories surrounding cubism and its various expressions opened up for a number of reinterpretations in the 1910s. Dick Beer was well aware of the cubist discussions. He embraced the ideas but created a varied, personal and emotive cubism in the years around 1918. His painting was often an explosive discharge with playful characteristics and a futuristic dynamism which accentuated the painting’s inherent speed and movement, as for example his works “Dancer” and “The Toy Box”. He also experimented with geometric compositions of buildings and landscapes, which were reminiscent of Paul Cézanne’s more cubic landscapes. Here, Beer’s colours were often muted, in blue, brown and red hues. He frequently returned to earlier motifs and reworked his canvases into a cubist style, as in “Dancer tying her shoes” and “Seated dancer“.

Contemporary art critics were appalled and Beer had to endure severe criticism. At one point, the artist published a reply in the daily Politiken, 1919, where he described his view on art:

“... because love for and understanding of art, ‘l’art pour l’art’, is not easy to achieve, and neither is it easy to comprehend the different movements’ or schools’ origin, goals, characteristic endeavours, etc. – These international phenomena require not only theoretical and art historical knowledge but (...) the ability to empathise with and feel for art, as its practitioners do”.

Dick Beer (b. London 1893 - d. Stockholm 1938) 

oil on canvas
73 x 60.5 cm
stamp signed 
painted 1920

Exhibited:
The Royal Academy Stockholm, 1942;
The Swedish-French Art Gallery, Memorial exhibition, 1942;
Gothenburg Art Gallery, Memorial exhibition, 1944;
Nationalmuseum Stockholm 1944;
Borås Art Gallery, 1952;
Åmells Konsthandel  – En internationell kubist, Stockholm & London, 2008;
Hälsinglands museum, A Cubist 1910s, 2011
Millesgården – Dick Beer – Impressionist & Kubist, 2012

Provenance:
Within the family Beer until today

Cubistic vision

In the period following the First World War, the artist’s painting underwent a fundamental transformation. Dick Beer was influenced by various modernistic expressions. In Paris, the first wave of cubism, led by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, was established. It was a controversial artistic style. There was a heated debate about cubism, in which the artist broke up the motif into smaller components, sometimes called facets, in order to rebuild it on the flat surface of the pictorial plane. This manner of painting represented a complete break with preceding pictorial conventions and naturalistic painting.

Cubism was governed by theory, not practice, and critics claimed that the style was too intellectual for the general public and they predicted that it would disappear and that artists would return to a rather more classic expression.

The theories surrounding cubism and its various expressions opened up for a number of reinterpretations in the 1910s. Dick Beer was well aware of the cubist discussions. He embraced the ideas but created a varied, personal and emotive cubism in the years around 1918. His painting was often an explosive discharge with playful characteristics and a futuristic dynamism which accentuated the painting’s inherent speed and movement, as for example his works “Dancer” and “The Toy Box”. He also experimented with geometric compositions of buildings and landscapes, which were reminiscent of Paul Cézanne’s more cubic landscapes. Here, Beer’s colours were often muted, in blue, brown and red hues. He frequently returned to earlier motifs and reworked his canvases into a cubist style, as in “Dancer tying her shoes” and “Seated dancer“.

Contemporary art critics were appalled and Beer had to endure severe criticism. At one point, the artist published a reply in the daily Politiken, 1919, where he described his view on art:

“... because love for and understanding of art, ‘l’art pour l’art’, is not easy to achieve, and neither is it easy to comprehend the different movements’ or schools’ origin, goals, characteristic endeavours, etc. – These international phenomena require not only theoretical and art historical knowledge but (...) the ability to empathise with and feel for art, as its practitioners do”.

 

 

Dick Beer (b. London 1893 - d. Stockholm 1938) 

Portrait of Gabriele Varese (in Italian uniform), 1919

oil on canvas mounted on panel
116 x 90 cm 
stamp signature

Exhibited:
Solo exhibition, Stockholm, Nov-Dec 1917;
The Royal Academy Stockholm 1973;
Åmells Konsthandel  – En internationell kubist, Stockholm & London 2008
Hälsinglands Museum 2011
Millesgården – Dick Beer – Impressionist & Kubist, 2012

Provenance:
Within the family Beer until today

Cubistic vision:
In the period following the First World War, the artist’s painting underwent a fundamental transformation. Dick Beer was influenced by various modernistic expressions. In Paris, the first wave of cubism, led by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, was established. It was a controversial artistic style. There was a heated debate about cubism, in which the artist broke up the motif into smaller components, sometimes called facets, in order to rebuild it on the flat surface of the pictorial plane. This manner of painting represented a complete break with preceding pictorial conventions and naturalistic painting.

Cubism was governed by theory, not practice, and critics claimed that the style was too intellectual for the general public and they predicted that it would disappear and that artists would return to a rather more classic expression.

The theories surrounding cubism and its various expressions opened up for a number of reinterpretations in the 1910s. Dick Beer was well aware of the cubist discussions. He embraced the ideas but created a varied, personal and emotive cubism in the years around 1918. His painting was often an explosive discharge with playful characteristics and a futuristic dynamism which accentuated the painting’s inherent speed and movement, as for example his works “Dancer” and “The Toy Box”. He also experimented with geometric compositions of buildings and landscapes, which were reminiscent of Paul Cézanne’s more cubic landscapes. Here, Beer’s colours were often muted, in blue, brown and red hues. He frequently returned to earlier motifs and reworked his canvases into a cubist style, as in “Dancer tying her shoes” and “Seated dancer“.

Contemporary art critics were appalled and Beer had to endure severe criticism. At one point, the artist published a reply in the daily Politiken, 1919, where he described his view on art:

“... because love for and understanding of art, ‘l’art pour l’art’, is not easy to achieve, and neither is it easy to comprehend the different movements’ or schools’ origin, goals, characteristic endeavours, etc. – These international phenomena require not only theoretical and art historical knowledge but (...) the ability to empathise with and feel for art, as its practitioners do”.

 

Henry Holmström (Swedish)

Dopparedagen, 1931

This is the original front cover for the Christmas Magazine - Dopparedagen 1931.
Watercolour on paper.

Unknown Artist, Circle of Julia Beck (1853-1935)

Atelier Interior With Flower Bouquet

oil on tree-panel

Compare with, Julia Becks "Blomsterstilleben" sold at Uppsala Auktionskammare dec 2021: