artist: Richard Björklund (Swedish 1897-1974)
medium: oil on canvas
dimensions: 46 x 61 cm canvas size / 48 x 63 cm frame size
signed and dated 50
presented in a new timber frame painted white
AU $895 (approx US $655 / 555 EUROS / 72,000 yen / 475 GBP - for exact current conversion visit xe.com)
artist biography
Richard Björklund was a Swedish artist born in in Hyllie, Skåne in 1897.
Björklund first became interested in painting through the love of colour introduced to him via his father who was a master house painter in Limhamn in Malmö. After training as a professional house painter himself, he turned to fine art and undertook study at the Campbell's painting school in Lund 1919-1920, followed by a stay in Paris in 1921 at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and the Académie Montparnasse. He visited Berlin in 1923 and the following year he was again in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. Later, he made study trips to Italy in 1926, France in 1928, Dalmatia 1934-1935 and returning to Italy again in 1947.
Initially very taken by the Impressionists whose work he studied in museums during his travels, he started painting on small panels trying to capture the mood and atmosphere of Paris. As his work progressed so did the breadth and richness of colour in his art. He painted Skåne summer landscapes, city and harbour scenes, as well as portraits and still life works. His later paintings in the 1940s and 50s often took on a Cubist influences.
Björklund is represented in a many public collections in Sweden including the National Museum in Stockholm, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Malmö Museum, Prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, the County Museum in Kristianstad, Ystad Art Museum, Lund University Art Museum and Gripsholm Castle.