Blue Bowl & Pears

A small but very striking still life composition, executed in tempera on board and dated 1978, by the established Swedish artist Eric Cederberg (1897-1984), whose artworks have been represented in several public and museum collections across Sweden.

Small yet impactful in its composition, the painting presents a carefully balanced arrangement of fruit upon a wooden surface. At the centre sits a vivid cobalt-blue bowl, cradling a bright yellow lemon and a tightly clustered bunch of deep purple grapes, accented with a bold green leaf. Surrounding the bowl are five pears in varying tones of green and brown, their organic forms adding rhythm and balance to the composition.

The artist has used a simplified, almost sculptural style, emphasising solid blocks of colour and clear outlines over intricate detail. The palette is bold and saturated, contrasting jewel-like purples and blues against earthy browns and greens, with the lemon’s intense yellow providing a sharp highlight. The brushwork is confident yet controlled, with smooth, flat applications of paint that create a sense of weight and presence.

The background is rendered in horizontal bands of brown, giving a structured backdrop that contrasts with the roundness of the fruit.

This tempera on board is presented in a well suited frame with an inner and outer gilt window. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 26 x 31 cm (including frame)