A contemplative and uniquely textured mid-century figurative portrait depicting a seated man rendered in profile, executed in oil onto canvas.

Wearing a dark flat cap and simple jacket, the figure appears absorbed in thought, his posture relaxed yet dignified. The composition conveys a sense of introspection and quiet resilience, with the sitter emerging gently from an abstracted background.

Executed in an expressive modernist manner, the painting balances representation with abstraction. The artist reduces the figure to essential forms and gestures, allowing mood and character to take precedence over precise detail. The sparse setting and generous negative space draw attention to the sitter’s presence while enhancing the work’s meditative quality.

The palette is restrained and sophisticated, dominated by soft greys, pale creams, muted whites, and subtle blue-grey tones. Delicate accents of olive green and warm earth colours animate the face and clothing, lending warmth and humanity to the otherwise cool composition. The contrast between the dark cap and the luminous background creates a striking focal point.

The brushwork is loose, painterly, and highly expressive. Broad, sweeping strokes define the background, while layered passages of thicker paint and textured applications bring life to the sitter’s features. Sketch-like linear marks remain visible in areas of the clothing, revealing the artist’s process and lending an immediacy to the work. The combination of fluid washes, dry-brush effects, and impasto-like textures creates a rich surface that rewards close inspection.

This oil on canvas is presented in a complementary slim black-toned wood frame. The painting and frame are both in  good vintage condition.

Size: 69 x 56 cm (including frame)

An intriguing and emotive mid-century figurative portrait that presents a solitary figure rendered in profile, her face reduced to essential forms and softened contours, and executed in oil onto canvas.

The composition balances intimacy and mystery, with the subject appearing suspended in quiet contemplation. Rather than pursuing realism, the artist distils the figure into broad planes of colour and shape, creating a deeply expressive and psychologically charged image.

The painting displays strong influences of modernist and expressionist portraiture. The elongated profile, simplified facial features, and restrained detailing place emphasis on mood and presence rather than likeness. The figure emerges from an abstracted background, where space dissolves into textured fields of paint.

The palette is beautifully subdued, dominated by earthy taupes, muted mauves, smoky greys, and deep charcoal tones. Rich burgundy and crimson accents in the garment provide warmth and visual weight, while subtle flashes of pale green and ivory animate the background.

Brushwork is confident and expressive throughout. Thick, painterly passages and visible impasto lend the surface a tactile quality, while loose, gestural strokes soften edges and allow forms to dissolve into one another. Scraped and layered paint textures reveal the artist’s process, contributing to the work’s raw emotional depth.

This oil on canvas is presented in a complementary frame featuring a natural light wood outer moulding with a wide linen-covered inner mount. The painting is in excellent vintage condition. There is some wear to the outer edges of the frame, commensurate with age.

Size: 59 x 52 cm (including frame)

A quiet and introspective mid-century modernist figurative painting, executed in oil onto canvas by the established Swedish artist Fabian Lundqvist (1913-1989), whose works have been represented in many public collections in Sweden.

The painting depicts a solitary female figure standing frontally against a simplified geometric backdrop. Her elongated neck, pale face, and slender hands lend the composition a quiet elegance, while the single red flower held delicately at her side introduces a note of tenderness and mystery. The figure’s direct gaze and still posture create an introspective mood, inviting the viewer to contemplate her inner world.

Executed in a refined mid-century modernist semi-abstract style, the artist has reduced the figure to essential forms, favouring flat planes of colour and simplified anatomy over realism. The composition recalls the poetic restraint of European modernist portraiture, where emotional presence is conveyed through shape, colour, and balance rather than intricate detail.

The palette is beautifully restrained, centred around warm dusty rose, terracotta, and deep cocoa-brown tones. The figure’s dress harmonises with the surrounding background, creating a subtle tonal unity, while her ivory-white skin provides striking contrast. The small crimson flower acts as a focal point, drawing the eye and adding a vivid accent to the otherwise muted composition.

Brushwork is smooth and controlled, with broad, even applications of paint that emphasise the painting’s flat decorative qualities. Subtle variations in texture and tone reveal the artist’s hand without disrupting the calm surface.

This oil on canvas is presented in an complementary gilt frame. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 56.5 x 34.5 cm (including frame)

A thoughtful mid-century figurative portrait that captures a female figure in a moment of inward reflection,  executed in oil onto canvas.

Positioned slightly off-centre, she gazes softly away from the viewer, her expression calm yet contemplative. There is a sense of emotional distance – she feels present, but absorbed in her own interior world. The simplicity of her attire and the absence of narrative detail draw attention to her face and psychological presence, making the portrait feel intimate and introspective rather than formal.

Executed in a loose, painterly mid-century style, the work leans toward modernist portraiture with subtle expressionist undertones. The artist prioritises mood and character over strict realism, allowing forms to soften and dissolve at the edges. There’s a gentle flattening of space, with the background treated as an atmospheric field rather than a defined setting, enhancing the subject’s quiet isolation.

A muted, harmonious palette dominates the composition – soft sage greens, warm beiges, and gentle creams create a subdued backdrop. The skin tones are delicately layered with hints of pink and grey, lending the face a lived-in softness. A subtle red accent along the neckline introduces a quiet point of contrast, drawing the eye without disrupting the overall calm.

The brushwork is loose and expressive, with visible, layered strokes that give the surface a tactile quality. The face is built up with short, blended strokes, creating a soft modelling of light and form, while the background is more gestural, with broader, sweeping applications of paint. This contrast between controlled and freer brushwork adds depth and reinforces the emotional tone – grounded yet quietly unsettled.

This oil on canvas is housed a complementary silver frame. The painting has some small areas of surface paint loss as shown in the photos. The frame has some minor losses and scuffs but is very stable overall. 

Size: 57.5 x 49 cm (including frame)