Swedish-American Artists

In the theme of Swedish-American Artists, a small door is opened to some artist destinies from a time when many Swedes profoundly changed their lives by emigrating to the great land in the west. Stockholms Auktionsverk Göteborg offers us 13 samples of works created under these circumstances. Four of the items in the auction were created by Gerda Ahlm. In 1889, she enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, where she stayed for two years. During the 1890s, she went on several study trips across Europe before heading to the United States in 1903. In addition to her own artistic career, she also made a name for herself as a conservator.

Birger Sandzén set off across the Atlantic in the 1890s. Unlike Gerda Ahlm, he had not been admitted to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Instead, he studied at the Artists' Association's school and later spent some time in Paris before going to the United States, where he was captivated by the vast landscapes of Kansas. Another story can be found in the life of Carl Oscar Borg, who arrived in the USA in the early 1900s as a sailor. He was discovered by a wealthy lady who saw his artistic talent. With her financial help, he was able to study art and eventually became both an art director and a poster artist. He had a special fondness for the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, where his ashes were scattered after his death.

The fourth artist in the theme is Gustaf Tenggren, who, from his upbringing in Magra parish in Västergötland, made his way to the USA, where he became a studio chief at Disney during a time when the studio was creating classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, Fantasia, and Pinocchio. Four artists, four different and exciting lives. At Stockholms Auktionsverk Göteborg, we encounter them in a theme that offers both painting and graphics. Welcome!