David Ahlqvist (1900-1988) - De Rivier bij Bärbäck (NO RESERVE)

David Ahlqvist (1900-1988) – The River at Bärbäck, oil on canvas, 40 × 50.5 cm (frame 47.5 × 58 cm), hand-signed lower right, with original Swedish annotations on the verso and a date July/August 1948.

Introduction
This characteristic work by Swedish painter David Ahlqvist belongs to the most recognizable phase of his oeuvre, in which landscapes from central Sweden—particularly from the regions around Värmland, Västerbotten, and Östergötland—are depicted with a vibrant touch and a bold use of color. During his active years, Ahlqvist gained recognition as a distinctly autonomous landscape artist, rooted in the Swedish realist and impressionist tradition of the 20th century. The painting offered here is a particularly fine example of his expressive landscape vision, created in the summer of 1948, as confirmed by his own notes on the back.

Description of the work
The painting depicts a river or lake landscape at sunset, with a wooden, reddish-brown cottage in the foreground, half-hidden among pines and spruces. The horizon is formed by dark, gently undulating ridges that stand out sharply against the warm sky. The low sun creates a pronounced vertical reflection on the water's surface, constructed in bright orange-red and yellow impasto accents. This creates a powerful visual connection between sky and water, typical of Ahlqvist's ability to emphasize atmosphere over detail. The vegetation is composed with short, varied brushstrokes, creating a rich interplay of green tones: from cool blue-green in the shadows to warm ochre accents where sunlight breaks through the foliage. The composition is carefully balanced, with the cottage's architecture as a central focal point against the dynamic coloration of the background.

Technique & use of color
Ahlqvist worked here with clearly visible, partly impasto brushstrokes, combining impressionistic light effects with expressionistic boldness in color. The crackle pattern on the surface is consistent with the work's age and the traditional Swedish oil medium techniques of the period. The hues used are bright and contrasting: deep ultramarine and turquoise for the water, orange-red and golden yellow for the skylight, and muted earth tones in the buildings and foreground. This combination gives the canvas an intensely emotional character related to the Scandinavian color experience of the early and mid-20th century.

Composition & art historical context
Within the Swedish painting tradition, this work aligns with a lineage of modern realist and impressionist-inspired landscape art that focuses on the experience of nature and the depiction of light. Ahlqvist's approach demonstrates an affinity with contemporaries who worked in a lyrical realist style and had a strong connection to national nature motifs. Internationally, his approach fits within the broader movements of post-impressionism and the expressionist landscape idiom. Famous contemporaries who are thematically and pictorially close to him include Prince Eugen, Helmer Osslund, Anders Zorn, Joaquín Sorolla, and Emil Nolde.

The artist
David Ahlqvist, born in Sweden in 1900, belongs to the generation of artists active in the mid-20th century, where the Scandinavian landscape continued to play a significant role as a source of inspiration. He worked primarily in Sweden and developed a personal style that combines naturalistic observation, impressionistic brushwork, and expressive color contrasts. His oeuvre includes landscapes, nature motifs, and village scenes, often based on direct observation during travels through rural areas. Limited information about formal training or major international exhibitions is available in current documentation, but his work circulates within Swedish private collections and regional art dealerships.

Condition
The painting is in stable condition with even crazing consistent with its age. A few tiny spots of paint loss are visible upon close inspection. The old frame shows signs of wear consistent with its age. No retouching was observed under UV light; the paint surface displays completely authentic fluorescent patterns. The canvas has recently been lightly cleaned and coated with an ultra-thin matte dammar varnish.

Provenance
The work is part of a private collection with no documented market history in the available sources.

Final remarks
The River at Bärbäck is a perfect example of David Ahlqvist's ability to capture the intensity of the Scandinavian landscape in a captivating and highly personal visual language. The combination of expressive color, spontaneous brushwork, and atmospheric sunset makes this painting a remarkable and characterful work within mid-20th-century Swedish landscape painting. Its dating by the artist himself, its strong visual rhythm, and its pristine, unrestored condition make it particularly attractive to collectors of Scandinavian art. Offered No Reserve.

The work "The River at Bärbäck" is in a bronze-gold colored wooden frame

Total dimensions: 47.5x58cm
Canvas dimensions: 40x50.5cm

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