Good Art XXII

Crafoord Auktioner Stockholm presents the themed auction Good Art XXII (God konst XXII), highlighting this month’s selection of interesting artists and works. They deserve to be seen together, and we hope they will brighten many walls.

This time we’re making the case for art, with more than 200 works by a range of distinguished and exciting artists, including Karel Appel, Vera Frisén, Vasarely, Carl Milles, Bror Hjorth, Gunnar Torhamn, Erland Cullberg, Auguste Herbin, Christian Berg, Arman, Fernand Léger, Olle Nyman, Reinhold von Rosen, Pierre Olofsson, Anton Genberg, Bo Beskow, Helge Lindén and Axel Kargel.

Highlights include Carl Johan de Geer’s now highly topical print “Skända flaggan” (“Desecrate the Flag”), inscribed “Sista-sucken-upplagan, Destruerad av polis 1967, 2:a nya upplagan” (“The last-gasp edition, destroyed by police 1967, 2nd new edition”). Also on offer are two of Roland Svensson’s most sought-after prints, “Röder Storskärgård” and “Juninatt, Gillöga”. Subtle works by August Berg, Helge Zandén, Laris Strunke and Christopher Rådlund are also worth looking out for.

Nordic light is an art-historical and aesthetic term for how the distinctive light of the Nordic countries has been depicted in art and used as a means of expression. In this auction it can be seen in several atmospheric works by Ivan Humbla, as well as in works by Oscar Hullgren, Jean Skoglund, Helge Zandén, Nils Fredricsson, Alfred Wetterström and Robert Jäckel, to name a few.

Lisa Larson’s bronze sculpture “Storseglaren” is another strong feature of the auction.

The name God konst (Good Art) has been used before. In 1941 the exhibition “GOD KONST I ALLA HEM” (Good Art in Every Home) opened, organised by HSB. Its aim was to promote good art in people’s homes. The foreword to the catalogue noted that building good housing was not enough: art also had to have its place. The main principle was to offer good art to a wider public at affordable prices. To make sure the art really was “good”, a jury of well-known artists and art critics was brought in to review the works to be exhibited. As a result, it was possible, for example, to buy GAN’s oil painting Berns 1918 for 5,000 kronor, the tempera Ratten (The Steering Wheel) for 350 kronor and Laboratorium (Laboratory) for 500 kronor. Other artists in this art-for-the-people project included Oskar Bergman, Einar Jolin, Arne Jones, Isaac Grünewald, Sixten Lundbohm, and Erik and Axel Olson. The exhibition’s tenth anniversary was marked with a show at Liljevalchs konsthall in Stockholm.

In the same year, 1941, Gunnar Hjorthén (1913–1997) opened Galleri God Konst on Vallgatan in Gothenburg. He came to be regarded as something of an institution in Gothenburg’s art scene. Over time the gallery moved to locations including Drottninggatan, the Concert Hall and Södra vägen. Hjorthén devoted himself to promoting “young art”, with artists such as Ivan Ivarson, Karin Parrow, Ragnar Sandberg and Inge Schiöler. Gothenburg Colourism became an established term largely thanks to Hjorthén and Galleri God Konst. Like Svensk-Franska Konstgalleriet, Hjorthén looked to Paris early on and used the gallery to connect Swedish audiences with the new painting. In 1953, for example, the gallery exhibited Tsuguharu Foujita.

Come and view the auction, and be inspired!