Jenny Nyström

It has been said that the Swedish tomte was born in 1881. That was the year Viktor Rydberg’s poem Tomten was published, illustrated by Jenny Nyström. Her breakthrough was immediate, and she went down in history as one of Sweden’s most beloved illustrators, capturing the magic of everything we associate with Christmas.

Yet, beyond her snow-covered postcards and carefully crafted illustrations, Jenny Nyström also holds a small but intriguing place in Swedish art history. Her contribution is of particular interest today as female artists are being rediscovered and reevaluated. Notably, she was the first woman to win the competition at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and in 1884, she exhibited at the prestigious Salon de Paris.

At Crafoord Auctions Lund, we see Jenny Nyström at her very best. In twelve artworks, we witness tomtar in red hats trudging through the snow, children celebrating Easter, and—at the heart of the theme—a joyful crowd of youngsters racing down a winter hill on their sleds, an illustration that once graced the center spread of the magazine Kring krubban!

Welcome to Crafoord Auctions Lund!