Signed lower left “С Wilhemson” possibly leading to Carl Wilhelm Wilhelmson (1866 - 1928), was a Swedish painter, draftsman, graphic artist, art educator and professor at the Royal Academy of Arts (sold as is). Wilhelmson's skillful use of color and dynamic brush strokes conveys an elusive appeal to the portrait of young woman, creating a striking contrast with the detailed image. The look of blue eyes is so attractive and deep, like a reflection of the endless sea, the theme to which the artist devoted most of his work. He was an outstanding artist not only in Sweden but throughout Scandinavia, and his work was characterized by a thinly applied color on mottled visible canvas. Oil painting on canvas (pasted later on pressed paperboard), signed, framed.
Size app.: 39.5 x 29 cm (roughly 15.6 x 11.4 in), frame 51 x 41cm (roughly 20.1 x 16.1 in). Very good condition, with usage and age wear. Please study good resolution images for cosmetic condition. In person actual painting may appear darker or brighter than in our pictures, strictly depending on sufficient light in your environment. Glass will be removed prior to shipment for safe transit. Weight of app. 1 kg is going to measure 3 kg packed for shipment.
In 1881, Wilhelmson's was apprenticed to the lithographers Meyer & Köster in Gothenburg. He also took evening classes at the School of Design and Crafts. He later became a full-time student of Carl Larsson at the Valand Academy. Moved to Paris in 1890. In Paris, he worked as an advertising artist while taking classes from Paul Sérusier and Maurice Denis at the Académie Julian. He may also have studied, at least briefly, with Jules Lefebvre and Tony Robert-Fleury. In 1893, he visited Brittany and, in 1895, had a small showing at the Salon. He returned to Sweden in 1896. Upon his return, the art patron, Pontus Fürstenberg, invited him to become the Director at the Valand Academy. He accepted and held that position until 1910. After leaving the Academy, he opened his own art school, where his students included Ivan Aguéli, Evert Taube, Evert Lundquist, Tora Vega Holmström and Maj Bring. At the invitation of his friend, Hjalmar Lundbohm, he made expeditions to Norrland in 1914 and 1918 and produced several well-known paintings in Bohuslän. He was appointed a Professor at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in 1925 and became a member in 1926, in reverse of the usual order. In addition to his canvases, he painted murals at the Dicksonska folkbiblioteket and the Central Post Office Building (Stockholm). His works may be seen at the Göteborgs konstmuseum, Nationalmuseum the Thiel Gallery and the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.