Erixson, Sven (1899-1970) - 1932 Self-Portrait With a View of the Lock (Goteborg Art Museum, Sweden)
Oil on canvas; 81.5 x 65.5 cm.
Swedish painter, draughtsman, tapestry and stage designer. After studying under various artists in Tumba and elsewhere, in 1922–3 he attended the Konsthögskolan in Stockholm and in 1922 visited Berne, Nuremberg and Berlin. His early works, such as Jeårj (1923; Stockholm, Mod. Mus.), were loosely painted and naive in appearance and drew on vernacular art. In 1924 he visited Paris and Italy, and in 1924–5 he helped decorate the cinema in Malmö, one of numerous early decorative projects. In 1925 he was a founder-member of the Fri Konst group of artists, which included Carl Alexandersson (1897–1941), Sven Hempel (1896–1944) and others. The following year the membership was expanded to nine by the addition of such artists as Gustav Alexanderson (b 1901) to form the Nio Unga (Nine Young Men) group. Erixson travelled extensively around Europe in the late 1920s, and in 1932, after the dissolution of Nio Unga, he was a founder-member of Färg och Form (Colour and Form) with whom he exhibited thereafter. His painting of this period retained the earlier naivety but became more expressive, as in Dance Hall at Telemarken (1931; Stockholm, Mod. Mus.). After travels in Spain and Morocco in 1935–6 Erixson designed two large tapestry cartoons for the Konserthus in Göteborg, which were executed by the Gobelins. In 1938–40 he executed two large frescoes for the chapel at Skogskyrkogardens crematorium in Stockholm. From 1942–3 he produced painted glass windows for the St Gertrud chapel at Malmö crematorium, and in 1943 he became a professor at the Konstakademi in Stockholm. Erixson produced numerous theatrical set designs in the 1940s and 1950s, such as those for Federico García Lorca’s Blood Wedding (1944), and Shakespeare’s Richard III (1946) and Romeo and Juliet (1953), which were performed at the Dramaten theatre in Stockholm. He continued to paint interior scenes, townscapes and landscapes in this period, such as Autumn in Tattby (1944; Göteborg, Kstmus.), which still showed the influence of folk art. His later work was of much the same style though the details were pared away as in the powerful Memory of Nacka Hospital (1965; see 1969–70 exh. cat.). He was also involved in further decorative projects, producing cartoons, painted windows and theatre designs. Together with Bror Hjorth, Erixson was influential in revitalizing the folk art tradition in Sweden.
Grove Art excerpts - Electronic ©2003, Oxford Art Online
Erixson, Sven (1899-1970) - 1932 Self-Portrait With a View of the Lock (Goteborg Art Museum, Sweden)
Oil on canvas; 81.5 x 65.5 cm.
Swedish painter, draughtsman, tapestry and stage designer. After studying under various artists in Tumba and elsewhere, in 1922–3 he attended the Konsthögskolan in Stockholm and in 1922 visited Berne, Nuremberg and Berlin. His early works, such as Jeårj (1923; Stockholm, Mod. Mus.), were loosely painted and naive in appearance and drew on vernacular art. In 1924 he visited Paris and Italy, and in 1924–5 he helped decorate the cinema in Malmö, one of numerous early decorative projects. In 1925 he was a founder-member of the Fri Konst group of artists, which included Carl Alexandersson (1897–1941), Sven Hempel (1896–1944) and others. The following year the membership was expanded to nine by the addition of such artists as Gustav Alexanderson (b 1901) to form the Nio Unga (Nine Young Men) group. Erixson travelled extensively around Europe in the late 1920s, and in 1932, after the dissolution of Nio Unga, he was a founder-member of Färg och Form (Colour and Form) with whom he exhibited thereafter. His painting of this period retained the earlier naivety but became more expressive, as in Dance Hall at Telemarken (1931; Stockholm, Mod. Mus.). After travels in Spain and Morocco in 1935–6 Erixson designed two large tapestry cartoons for the Konserthus in Göteborg, which were executed by the Gobelins. In 1938–40 he executed two large frescoes for the chapel at Skogskyrkogardens crematorium in Stockholm. From 1942–3 he produced painted glass windows for the St Gertrud chapel at Malmö crematorium, and in 1943 he became a professor at the Konstakademi in Stockholm. Erixson produced numerous theatrical set designs in the 1940s and 1950s, such as those for Federico García Lorca’s Blood Wedding (1944), and Shakespeare’s Richard III (1946) and Romeo and Juliet (1953), which were performed at the Dramaten theatre in Stockholm. He continued to paint interior scenes, townscapes and landscapes in this period, such as Autumn in Tattby (1944; Göteborg, Kstmus.), which still showed the influence of folk art. His later work was of much the same style though the details were pared away as in the powerful Memory of Nacka Hospital (1965; see 1969–70 exh. cat.). He was also involved in further decorative projects, producing cartoons, painted windows and theatre designs. Together with Bror Hjorth, Erixson was influential in revitalizing the folk art tradition in Sweden.
Grove Art excerpts - Electronic ©2003, Oxford Art Online