SVEN-ERIK JOHANSSON (1925-2020). Surrealist composition, signed and dated S Johansson 1982-85, oil on Board, 120x160 cm.

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SVEN-ERIK JOHANSSON (1925-2020). Surrealist composition, signed and dated S Johansson 1982-85, oil on Board, 120x160 cm.
3080043. SVEN-ERIK JOHANSSON (1925-2020). Surrealist composition, signed and dated S Johansson 1982-85, oil on Board, 120x160 cm.

Description

HISTORY Sven Erik Johansson (1925) grew up in the working-class district of Norrby on the outskirts of Borås. His father was a tinsmith, and his mother a housewife. As a young man, Sven Erik Johansson dreamed of a life at sea, but when it was wartime, he instead became a forest ranger with an internship in Norrland. During his five years as a forest ranger, Sven Erik Johansson drew extensively. His talent was recognized and he was encouraged to apply to art school. He entered the Slöjdföreningens school in Gothenburg and had Nils Wedel as a teacher there. He then entered Valand's art school in 1952 and studied there under Endre Nemes. Neme's influence is clear in Sven Erik Johansson's painting, but he himself believes that that style developed much later. During his time at Valand, Sven Erik Johansson paints mostly figuratively, but gradually his painting begins to become abstract and the motifs change more and more. He will be described as a surrealist and his painting will soon be both noticed and appreciated.

But Sven Erik Johansson himself does not like to call himself a surrealist. He prefers not to be associated with any of the -isms. He instead talks about a free painting where he works completely intuitively. He draws motifs from the subconscious. There are the bird figures, egg shapes and all other fantasy shapes. He works quickly and lets the subject develop as the work progresses, usually without sketching first. Coincidence is an important part of his work. A shape can change and become an animal or something else that can be interesting and fit into the picture. He has developed a rich symbolic language, and certain figures and objects are recurring. He wants his painting to be humorous, but with a serious tone underneath. To find inspiration, Sven Erik Johansson looks back to the 15th and 16th centuries and artists such as Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel, Albrecht Dürer and Hieronymus Bosch. The technique varies, he often paints with gouache or oil on Board, but has also done paintings on thumbtack heads!

Today, Sven Erik Johansson is referred to as the great surrealist in Swedish art and he is represented at, among others, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum in Miami, the Swedish Institute in Paris and the Modern Museum and the National Museum in Stockholm.

Condition

insignificant wear, warped and loosely fitted panel.

Resale right

Yes

Theme

Gert Klötzke Collection

The item details are approximate automatic translations. Auctionet.com is not responsible for any translation errors. Show the original Swedish texts.

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Bidding

Highest bid:
2 196 EUR
Estimate: 897 EUR
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12 Nov 2023 at 09:48 CST
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Bid history

11 A 12 Nov, 09:462 196 EUR
12 12 Nov, 09:462 196 EUR
11 A 12 Nov, 09:452 106 EUR
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3080043. SVEN-ERIK JOHANSSON (1925-2020). Surrealist composition, signed and dated S Johansson 1982-85, oil on Board, 120x160 cm.

Description

HISTORY Sven Erik Johansson (1925) grew up in the working-class district of Norrby on the outskirts of Borås. His father was a tinsmith, and his mother a housewife. As a young man, Sven Erik Johansson dreamed of a life at sea, but when it was wartime, he instead became a forest ranger with an internship in Norrland. During his five years as a forest ranger, Sven Erik Johansson drew extensively. His talent was recognized and he was encouraged to apply to art school. He entered the Slöjdföreningens school in Gothenburg and had Nils Wedel as a teacher there. He then entered Valand's art school in 1952 and studied there under Endre Nemes. Neme's influence is clear in Sven Erik Johansson's painting, but he himself believes that that style developed much later. During his time at Valand, Sven Erik Johansson paints mostly figuratively, but gradually his painting begins to become abstract and the motifs change more and more. He will be described as a surrealist and his painting will soon be both noticed and appreciated.

But Sven Erik Johansson himself does not like to call himself a surrealist. He prefers not to be associated with any of the -isms. He instead talks about a free painting where he works completely intuitively. He draws motifs from the subconscious. There are the bird figures, egg shapes and all other fantasy shapes. He works quickly and lets the subject develop as the work progresses, usually without sketching first. Coincidence is an important part of his work. A shape can change and become an animal or something else that can be interesting and fit into the picture. He has developed a rich symbolic language, and certain figures and objects are recurring. He wants his painting to be humorous, but with a serious tone underneath. To find inspiration, Sven Erik Johansson looks back to the 15th and 16th centuries and artists such as Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel, Albrecht Dürer and Hieronymus Bosch. The technique varies, he often paints with gouache or oil on Board, but has also done paintings on thumbtack heads!

Today, Sven Erik Johansson is referred to as the great surrealist in Swedish art and he is represented at, among others, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum in Miami, the Swedish Institute in Paris and the Modern Museum and the National Museum in Stockholm.

Condition

insignificant wear, warped and loosely fitted panel.

Resale right

Yes

Theme

Gert Klötzke Collection

The item details are approximate automatic translations. Auctionet.com is not responsible for any translation errors. Show the original Swedish texts.

Do you have something similar to sell? Get your items valued free of charge!

Details

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