Karl Granquist was a Finland-Swedish painter and graphic artist, born in Lappfjärd, Finland. Granquist’s artistic training was both extensive and international. He studied at Slöjdföreningens skola (later HDK) in Gothenburg in 1943, before continuing his education at the Free Art School (Fria målarskolan) in Helsinki in 1945 and the Royal Institute of Art (Konsthögskolan) in Stockholm in 1948. After study trips to Vienna, he developed a style marked by structured compositions and refined colour harmony, often depicting still lifes, coastal views and figurative motifs.
Still life on table, oil on Board.
Modernism with Nordic Roots
Granquist’s works feature disciplined layout and soft yet vibrant palettes. He balanced modernist formalism with lyrical touches evident in his landscapes and interior scenes. His printmaking – including lithographs and aquatints – demonstrate a command of texture and line, converging in balanced compositions with poetic resonance.
In 1962, Granquist was among the select group of Swedish artists invited to exhibit at Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo. The exhibition, which featured 56 works in oil, tempera, and watercolour, highlighted the diversity of Swedish painting at the time. The artists, including Granquist, were noted for their independence and mutual respect, united perhaps only by their shared inspiration from nature and a tendency towards subjective naturalism.
“Sea bay in a gentle breeze", oil on canvas, signed and dated 63.
Exhibitions and Institutional Presence
He participated in numerous group shows and received scholarships including the state travel grant. Granquist is represented in Moderna Museet in Stockholm and Amos Andersonin Museo in Helsingfors. His work also appears in auctions, with lithographs and paintings sold steadily throughout recent decades.