Stockholms Auktionsverk presents “Lisbeth by the Birch” by Carl Larsson

For this year's final Fine Art & Antiques auction, the striking portrait "Lisbeth by the Birch" by the renowned Swedish artist Carl Larsson will go under the gavel at Stockholms Auktionsverk. The motif is recognized from the artist's monumental work "Breakfast in the Green", painted in 1910-1913, where Carl Larsson depicts his family’s breakfast excursion to Bullerholmen just south of the farm Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn. The painting that is currently up for sale is dated 1910 by the artist himself, and in it only his second oldest daughter Lisbeth is portrayed.

“Although Lisbeth is a central figure in "Breakfast in the Green", she almost disappears into the main scene, but here she really gets to shine and is portrayed in the warm twilight of late summer rather than the early morning hour. It is incredibly touching to see Lisbeth portrayed with such warmth and loving gaze, it is a very personal portrait that is hard to tear yourself away from,” says Joakim Geiger, art specialist at Stockholms Auktionsverk.

"Lisbeth by the Birch" is in many ways typical of Carl Larsson's artistic expression – with its naturalism, the Nordic light, and the illustrative placement of the models – but in other ways, completely different. The painting is at once powerful and painterly, with Japanese qualities in the depiction of the birch trunks. With this work, we can see the traditional 19th-century painter and front figure for Swedish nationalism take the step into international expressionism.

“As an individual piece of work, "Lisbeth by the Birch" is quite boldly painted; we see an artist who is bolder in his color and brushstrokes. The motif is cropped almost like a photograph, and we can clearly see how Carl Larsson has moved on in his painting. He has been inspired by Paul Signac and the art scene that is brewing down in Europe – influences that now makes him paint with higher and stronger color tones. I would say without a doubt that this is one of Carl Larsson's most important oil paintings. And it is highly unusual to see paintings of this dignity appear on the market today,” says Joakim Geiger.

The Fine Art & Antiques auction is now published online and will be held on December 10–11. The viewing is open December 4–9 at Nybrogatan 32 in Stockholm.