Portraits – Page 4 – The Discerning Palette

Showing 91–120 of 282 results

Whispers
£405
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A wonderfully expressive and brilliantly executed figurative composition in mixed media (oil, watercolour gouache), painted onto board.

Two women in black headscarves are the focus of the scene, with very captivating expressions. The woman on the right appears to look almost shocked, with her mouth ajar and her eyes widened. The woman on the left stares directly at us, her emotion less identifiable. The scene is intriguing, making us question what these women have heard or what has happened. Their faces have been painted with brilliant detail, capturing the shadows on their faces as well as the aged skin of the woman on the right. These two women are set against a blue-ish green backdrop, making their faces stand out even more from within their black head scarves.

The painting is wonderfully presented in a gilt frame with a linen lined border. Both painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 30 x 37 cm (including frame)

The sculpture seen in the photos is also available to purchase and details can be viewed here.

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Off to School
£265
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A lovely and endearing miniature oil on canvas depicting a scene of a pedestrian walkway on a fine summer’s day.

A woman in the foreground can be seen walking with her 2 children to drop them off at school. They are holding flowers in their hands, that they’ve picked along their journey.

Rich and saturated colours fill this energetic painting; and the short and textured brushstrokes imbue the work with a sense of liveliness and joy.

What’s special too is that the artist has uniquely enhanced the greenery portion by adding graphite detailing in a ‘scribbled’ manner, adding a sense of three-dimensionality to the trees.

The painting is housed in a white card mount, and a green stained wood frame with a blue and gold inner wood border. The colours of the frame pick up on the colours within the painting beautifully, making it stand out even more. The work is glazed (there is a layer of plexiglass between the frame and the painting) to ensure its longevity.

Both painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 32 x 25.5 cm (including frame)

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Enigma
£475
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An emotive and skillfully executed mid-century abstract figurative composition, painted in oil onto canvas.

The piece features a figure seated on a chair, its form abstracted. Striking in its simplicity, all realistic details have been omitted, leaving only the essential elements of brushstroke and colour to evoke a sense of contemplative solitude.

The figure, painted in white with subtle pink undertones, sits with hands clasped together, subtly conveying a quiet moment of reflection. The silhouette is boldly outlined in a striking red, adding a dynamic contrast and accentuating the form’s presence.

The background, seamlessly merging with the figure, is a energetic blend of grey, white, and pink undertones. The brushstrokes used are expressive and loose, conveying a powerful representation of the artist’s emotional experience.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary slim silver frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has very minor scuffing.

Size: 49 x 57 cm (including frame)

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Modernist Ballerinas
£895
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An outstanding mid-century figurative composition, 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 captures a scene of two ballerinas surrounded by an abstract background. On the ballerinas, rhe artist’s brushstrokes are gentle and soft, reflecting a careful attention to detail. Intentionally working with a limited colour palette, the artist has reduced the area around the ballerinas to angular planes in different gradients of brown.. Details such as the small but striking red lips of the figures, as well as the layout of flat shapes and planes are typical of Lundqvist’s style.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary silver frame with an inner linen-lined border. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has some scuffs as shown in the close ups

Size: 59.5 x 51 cm (including frame)

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Two Faces
£295
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A mid century limited edition (7/23) etching, signed to the lower edge and dated 1973.

It is signed, dated and numbered by hand in pencil to the lower edge. The print is in very good vintage condition. Please note that the photos contain some glare – the print is very evenly black, and has no faded areas!

Sheet size: 50 x 37 cm
Image size: 37.5 x 30 cm

View our short video explaining the meaning of ‘original’ and ‘limited edition’ prints.

View The Met’s easy to understand explanation of the process of lithography.

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Ceremony of Colour

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A striking mid-century abstract figurative painting that depicts a rhythmic procession of five women walking across an open, sun-washed landscape, painted in oil onto canvas by the established Swedish female artist Brita Hansson (1918-1979).

Each figure balances a vessel upon her head, their elongated forms moving in quiet unison against a soft expanse of sky and sand. Though simplified and abstracted, the figures retain a powerful presence.

Rendered in a distinctly modernist style, the composition balances figuration with abstraction. The bodies are constructed from bold, angular planes of colour rather than detailed anatomy, creating a dynamic interplay between structure and spontaneity. The negative space of pale blue sky and creamy earth provides a serene backdrop that allows the vibrant figures to command attention.

The palette is rich and saturated, featuring vivid oranges, fiery reds, cobalt blues, emerald greens, and deep purples. These colours are layered and juxtaposed in expressive blocks, giving each figure a unique visual rhythm while maintaining overall harmony. The contrast between the warm garments and the cool sky enhances the painting’s luminosity and depth.

Brushwork is energetic and confident. Broad, gestural strokes define the drapery and movement of fabric, while thicker applications of paint create texture and dimension across the figures’ garments. The artist has allowed edges to remain loose and painterly, with visible layering and occasional scumbling that adds vitality to the surface. The simplified faces and silhouetted profiles further emphasise form, colour, and movement over detail.

Overall, the painting embodies the bold spirit of mid-century abstraction, celebrating colour, gesture, and human form in a composition that feels expressive.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary champagne wood frame. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 52 x 79 cm (including frame)

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Figures by the Shore

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A mid-century figurative painting depicts a group of figures walking side by side through a quiet coastal village, executed in oil onto canvas.

The suggestion of the sea can be seen in the background, framed by simple geometric rooftops and houses rendered in muted tones. The figures appear almost sculpted from the paint itself, evoking a sense of companionship.

Executed in an expressive modernist style, the artist has used broad brushstrokes and thick impasto to build texture and depth. The palette is dominated by cool greys, muted blues, soft creams, and earthy neutrals, creating a subdued yet harmonious composition. The simplified forms and blurred facial features lend the work an introspective and contemplative atmosphere, placing emphasis on mood and structure over detail.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary wood floater frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has a small mark at its top right corner but this does not detract from its overall attractiveness.

Size: 41.5 x 49.5 cm (including frame)

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Folk Musicians

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A lively 20th century figurative painting that depicts a spirited gathering of musicians arranged in a tiered composition, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1969.

Each figure absorbed in the act of playing: violins are lifted mid-bow, a guitarist anchors the right side, and smaller figures stand poised with wind instruments, creating the sense of a communal folk performance. The central foreground figure, hands planted confidently on hips and dressed in a patterned skirt and vest, acts as both visual anchor and quiet conductor of the scene.

Simplified, elongated forms with minimal facial detail lend the work a universal, almost archetypal quality. The figures are stylised rather than portrait-like, with flattened planes and a compressed sense of space that brings the entire ensemble forward toward the viewer. There is a naïve-modernist charm in the proportions and arrangement, yet the composition is carefully balanced, with vertical instrument necks and angled bows creating rhythm across the canvas.

The colour palette is warm and earthy, grounded in greens and muted browns, punctuated by vibrant notes of mustard yellow, teal blue, red and burnt orange. These contrasting garments give each musician individuality while harmonising within the overall composition.

Brushstrokes are confident and expressive. Paint is applied in visible, textured strokes – particularly in the clothing and instruments – adding movement and energy to the scene. The background is softly blended but remains painterly, allowing the figures to stand forward in bold, gestural definition. The overall effect is celebratory and rhythmic, capturing not just a group of musicians, but the collective spirit of shared music-making.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary hessian lined wood frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has some scuffs.

Size: 52 x 40 cm (including frame)

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The Act of Seeing

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An expressive mid-century figurative portrait that captures a quiet, introspective moment as a woman stands in profile, gently parting a patterned curtain, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1948.

Her posture is poised yet intimate, suggesting both observation and hesitation – as though she stands between interior life and the world beyond. A window behind her opens onto a soft, distant landscape, reinforcing a sense of contemplation and transition.

Rendered in an expressive, painterly style, the work embraces loose, gestural brushwork that prioritises emotion over precise realism. The figure is constructed through layered strokes of cool blues, muted greys, and soft creams, with touches of rose and pale green animating the contours of her face and clothing. The curtain introduces rhythmic vertical zigzags and organic shapes in earthy reds, blues, and blacks, creating a striking contrast against the cooler tones of the interior. This interplay of colour and pattern brings both movement and structural tension to the composition.

The artist’s brushstrokes are confident and spontaneous, with visible, energetic marks that give the surface vitality. Areas of thinner, translucent paint sit alongside thicker, more textured passages, allowing the underlayers to breathe through and enhancing the sense of immediacy. The figure itself is softly modelled, with edges dissolving into the surrounding space, reinforcing the emotional atmosphere rather than strict form.

This oil on board is is housed in a complementary ridged gilt frame. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 75.7 x 64.5 cm (including frame)

Free domestic (UK) shipping. As this artwork is very large, it is unlikely that we will be able to ship it internationally. If you are very interested and are located outside of the UK, please contact us and we will see what we can do.

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Abstract Trio

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A mid-century abstract figurative painting that captures a serene and introspective atmosphere, depicting three abstract human forms in a seated arrangement, executed in oil onto board.

The figures, rendered in earthy tones of brown, beige, and muted grey, appear to be engaged in a quiet, contemplative moment. The artist has used a combination of broad, gestural brushstrokes and textured layering, which gives the figures a rugged, almost sculptural presence within the composition.

The background is a juxtaposition of muted green and off-white blocks of colour, suggesting an interior space or an abstracted environment. The deliberate abstraction of the figures, reduced to essential forms and shapes, allows for multiple interpretations, emphasising mood and presence over detailed representation.

The painting’s style reflects the mid-century modernist movement, characterised by a harmonious blend of abstraction and figuration. The artist’s use of subdued, natural colours evokes a soothing, meditative feeling, while the brushwork conveys a sense of spontaneity and raw emotion.

This oil on board is housed in a very well-suited wood frame with an inner gilt and linen border. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 52.5 x 61.5 cm (including frame)

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Figure in Blue

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A striking mid-century modernist abstract figurative painting that presents a seated figure rendered in deep, expressive shades of blue and green, executed in acrylic onto card.

The figure, loosely defined with minimal facial features, appears to lean against a structure – possibly a chair or a window ledge – exuding a contemplative or introspective mood.

The artist has used a bold and gestural approach, characteristic of mid-century abstraction, with broad, sweeping brushstrokes that create movement and depth. The composition is dominated by a cool colour palette of blues, teals, and emerald greens, punctuated by lighter areas that suggest illumination.

The contrast between dark, shadowy areas and lighter highlights enhances the sense of atmosphere, while the figure’s simplified form retains an element of mystery and ambiguity.

This acrylic on card is framed behind glass, and is presented within a card mount. Both painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 48.5 x 42.5cm (including frame)

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Figure in the Dark

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An emotive and expressive semi-abstract figurative portrait, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1975.

The composition presents a seated figure, rendered with expressive and gestural brushstrokes. The subject is defined by bold, dark contours and angular forms, suggesting a contemplative or melancholic presence. The face is minimally detailed yet evocative, with an emphasis on structure rather than realism.

The composition is dominated by a deep, earthy palette of black, charcoal grey, and muted browns, with subtle hints of white, yellow, and red breaking through. The background is layered and textured, adding to the depth and atmosphere of the piece. The brushwork is raw and dynamic, with areas of impasto juxtaposed against more transparent washes of paint, reinforcing the work’s emotional intensity and expressive quality.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary slim silver painted wood frame. The painting is in very good vintage condition. The frame has some scuffing but this is in keeping with its vintage style, and overall it is in very good condition.

Size: 49 x 40 cm (including frame)

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Village Pathway

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A striking mid-century modernist painting that captures a female figure walking along a village pathway, gracefully balancing a vessel on her head, executed in oil onto board.

The woman, dressed in a flowing blue skirt and dark top, is set against a backdrop of geometric, almost abstracted row of houses that recede rhythmically into the distance.

Modernist in its ethos, the artist has reduced the scene into bold, flattened forms and simplified shapes. There’s a more structured feel in the angular rooftops and the faceted treatment of architecture and landscape, while the figure maintains a sense of movement and gesture.

The colour palette is muted, with gentle contrasts between warm and cool tones. The bright blue of the skirt stands out as a focal point, anchoring the viewer’s eye.

The paint is applied with deliberate, confident strokes – thick and flat in some areas, with visible texture. The brushwork emphasises shape and form over fine detail, enhancing the painting’s graphic, almost mosaic-like quality.

This oil on board is housed in a complementary wood frame with an inner cream border. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has very minor scuffs.

Size: 71 x 49.5 cm (including frame)

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Garden Gathering

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A lively mid-century modernist oil painting that presents a group of figures gathered in a semi-abstract outdoor scene, by Swedish artist Eric Elfvén (1921–2008), whose works have been exhibited in public collections including the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Jönköping Museum, Borås Art Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The arrangement suggests a social gathering – figures standing and seated together, framed by architecture on one side and lush garden foliage on the other.

Executed in a modernist style, the piece blends figuration with abstraction. Strongly simplified forms and flattened planes dominate, with outlines and shadow blocks creating sculptural presence. The absence of facial detail recalls both cubist reduction and expressionist distortion, allowing colour and rhythm to take precedence over narrative realism.

The palette is bold yet harmonious, with deep navy and forest greens offset by vibrant pinks, oranges, and sky blues. Light falls diagonally across the canvas, producing rich contrasts between shadowed areas and illuminated patches. The brushstrokes are broad, gestural, and confident, with layered pigment applied in sweeping movements that build both depth and dynamism.

This oil on board is presented in a complementary gilt frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition. The frame has some minor scuffing.

Size: 36.5 x 40.5 cm (including frame)

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Quiet Readers

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A serene and beautifully distilled mid-century modernist figurative painting, executed in oil onto board by the established Swedish artist Ingvar Elén (1915–1973), whose artworks have represented in public collections including the the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the National Museum in Sweden, and the Sörmlands Museum.

This composition features three seated figures, their forms reduced to soft geometric shapes and gentle interlocking silhouettes. Arranged in a subtle diagonal rhythm, the trio appears absorbed in quiet, individual focus: one reading, the others seated nearby – capturing a moment of shared stillness without explicit interaction.

The artist has relied on flattened planes of colour and carefully balanced tones to define each figure: warm peach, deep teal, olive green, charcoal grey, ochre, and soft clay-like browns. The palette is harmonious and understated, allowing the shapes and spatial arrangement to take centre stage. Their shadows and clothing become abstract colour blocks, lending the work a sculptural, almost collage-like quality.

Brushwork is smooth, matte, and subtly textured, with edges that are softened rather than sharply drawn. This creates a calm, meditative surface where each figure is distinct yet integrated into the overall rhythm of the composition.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary slim gilt frame. The painting is in good vintage condition overall: there is some craquelure visible on the central figure’s arm, however, the paint layer remains stable, and this does not detract from the overall presentation of the work.

Size: 74.5 x 88 cm (including frame)

Free domestic (UK) shipping. As this artwork is very large, it is unlikely that we will be able to ship it internationally. If you are very interested and are located outside of the UK, please contact us and we will see what we can do.

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Maternal Love

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An outstanding mid-century modernist abstract figurative composition, painted in oil onto board by Swedish painter Hans Osswald (1919-1983), whose works have been exhibited at the National Museum in Stockholm, Malmö Museum as well as The Brooklyn Museum.

The composition depicts a female figure, presumably a mother, tenderly holding her child. Rendered in bold, abstracted forms, the artist has distilled the essence of human connection into simplified, interlocking shapes and planes of colour. The absence of defined facial features allows emotion to arise from posture, proportion, and palette rather than expression, giving the scene both universality and intimacy.

Executed in a modernist idiom influenced by abstraction, the work blends figurative sensitivity with geometric reduction. The artist has employed thick, confident brushstrokes and layered impasto to create texture and rhythm across the surface. Areas of colour overlap subtly, suggesting depth and volume while maintaining a flattened, almost collage-like arrangement.

A harmonious palette of teal, browns, forest green, ivory, deep burgundy, and blue anchors the composition. The dark halo of the mother’s hair contrasts with the child’s pale, luminous tones, drawing the viewer’s focus to their gentle bond. The background of layered turquoise blues adds calm and balance to the composition, enhancing its contemplative quality.

This oil on board is presented in a complementary gilt frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has some scuffs and areas of paint loss as shown.

Size: 72 x 57.5 cm (including frame)

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Astrid

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A brilliantly executed and emotive mid-century modernist style figurative composition that presents a contemplative nude figure, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1960.

The figure, constructed through broad angular planes and softened edges, is seated in a relaxed pose, one leg bent and the torso subtly twisted – creating a gentle rhythm that guides the viewer’s gaze through the composition.

Executed in a restrained yet warm palette of ochre, sienna, and earthy umber, the body is set against a backdrop of powder blue, grey, and dusty taupe. This juxtaposition of warm and cool tones imbues the painting with both emotional tension and visual calm.

The brushwork is expressive but controlled, with textured applications of paint that oscillate between opaque coverage and dry-brush translucency, revealing the wood grain beneath. There’s a tactile quality to the strokes – layered, scraped, and directional – that accentuates the structural anatomy of the figure while maintaining abstraction.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary slim wood frame. The painting’s surface exhibits areas of craquelure, consistent with age. While the paint layer remains stable across most of the canvas, there is some instability noted in the central section beneath the figure’s chest. The frame is in good vintage condition.

Size: 82.5 x 68.5 cm (including frame)

Free domestic (UK) shipping. As this artwork is very large, it is unlikely that we will be able to ship it internationally. If you are very interested and are located outside of the UK, please contact us and we will see what we can do.

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Figure in a Carriage

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An evocative semi-abstract mid-century modernist figurative painting executed in oil onto canvas by Swedish artist Eric Elfvén (1921–2008), whose works have been exhibited in public collections including the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Jönköping Museum, Borås Art Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The composition captures the fleeting impression of a lone passenger illuminated by an unseen light source- perhaps the outside world glimpsed through a carriage window.

The painting is semi-abstract, with blocks of textured pigment forming the suggestion of a figure framed by architectural shapes that recall the interior of a carriage.

The palette is a masterful interplay of deep browns, blackened greens, and oxblood reds, punctuated by soft corals, pale peach, and a sliver of white that slices the darkness like a beam of light. Heavy impasto brushwork adds physical depth, while the confident horizontal and vertical strokes convey the structure of motion and confinement.

There’s a poetic stillness to the work – an intimate moment caught in transit, abstracted through modernist sensibility yet rich in narrative potential.

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

Size: 36.5 x 52.5 cm (including frame)

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The Net Menders

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An evocative mid-century modernist landscape composition with figures, executed in oil onto canvas.

The painting captures a quiet scene where two figures are engaged in the timeless ritual of mending nets. Rendered in broad, confident brushstrokes, the composition emphasises form and rhythm over detail, evoking a sense of labor and community grounded in place.

The artist employs a muted yet expressive palette: yellows and orange dominate the foreground, while greys, greens and blues define the sky and background. A bold block of red – a hut—anchors the composition to the right, adding architectural structure to the looser figurative forms. The figures themselves are stylised, almost abstract, with simplified forms, allowing posture and gesture to tell the story.

Expressive and directional brushwork lend energy to the piece, particularly in the sweeping green lines of the fishing net, which leads the viewer’s eye diagonally across the scene. The cool and vast expanse of sky, provides balance and contrast to the dense activity in the lower half of the painting.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary wood frame. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 38 x 48 cm (including frame)

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The Distance Between Us

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A contemplative modernist figurative painting that depicts a solitary figure standing before a vast expanse of open land, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1975.

The composition is strikingly divided into two registers: the upper portion capturing a serene vista of green fields and a distant tree line beneath a pale, open sky, and the lower section marked by a bold geometric band in black with red and orange vertical stripes.

Rendered in restrained tones of green and earthy brown, the work balances natural quietude with structural rhythm. The figure, outlined with simplicity and minimal detail and lightly sketched features, appears introspective, heightening the emotional resonance of the scene.

Executed with flat planes of colour, the brushstrokes are gentle yet deliberate, with thinly applied layers that allow the canvas texture to breathe through. The palette is subdued yet harmonious, evoking a faded photograph or memory : an image caught between presence and absence, realism and abstraction.

This oil on canvas is presented in a silver frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition. The frame displays some signs of age with marks and scuffs.

Size: 66.5 x 80.5 cm (including frame)

Free domestic (UK) shipping. As this artwork is very large, it is unlikely that we will be able to ship it internationally. If you are very interested and are located outside of the UK, please contact us and we will see what we can do.

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The Seamstress

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A tender and expressive mid-century figurative scene, painted in oil onto canvas.

The painting depicts a woman seated on a wooden chair, bent gently over her sewing, with a classic black sewing machine resting on a sturdy wooden table before her. Her posture conveys concentration and routine – an everyday ritual rendered with warmth and familiarity.

The style is expressive and loose. Forms are suggested rather than defined, allowing the viewer’s eye to fill in the narrative. Soft, hazy outlines and impressionistic strokes give the composition a spontaneous, lived-in quality.

The colour palette is warm and muted: blush pinks in the woman’s blouse, soft greys and taupes in her skirt, browns and light neutrals in the surrounding interior. Hints of red in her shoes and subtle greens and yellows in the background bring gentle vibrancy to the scene.

Brushstrokes are confident and gestural – broad sweeps for the furniture, short textured strokes for fabric and hair, and looser scumbles to build the diffused light of the room. Together, they create a beautifully atmospheric study of everyday work, captured with grace and sensitivity.

This oil on canvas is housed in a beautiful wood frame. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 41.5 x 33 cm (including frame)

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The Union

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This 1970s textile artwork is a charming and whimsical handwoven tapestry depicting a newlywed couple beneath a bright sun — a joyful celebration of love rendered in the folk-modern style so characteristic of Scandinavian textile art of the period.

At the centre stands the bride and groom, simply but expressively portrayed: the bride in a long white gown and veil, holding a bouquet of pink flowers, and the groom in a black suit and top hat. Their figures are stylised and symmetrical, framed by two tall blue flowers that echo traditional wedding motifs of purity and growth.

The background is a deep midnight blue or black, which makes the bright colours — yellows, greens, pinks, and blues — radiate with warmth and optimism. Above, a golden sun with radiating beams shines down on the pair, while beneath them a field of cheerful yellow daisies anchors the scene in a meadow-like setting.

Mounted on a neutral linen backing, the piece has a rustic yet refined presence. The handwoven texture and slightly naive proportions lend it a tender, storybook quality — a perfect blend of folk tradition and 1970s artistic playfulness.

It’s a heartfelt, symbolic work that captures not just a moment but a feeling — one of innocence, warmth, and enduring joy — lovingly woven into fabric.

This vintage tapestry remains in very good condition. It is mounted onto fabric lined board, and is ready to hang. The needlepoint is very slightly irregular, which is typical for handmade or traditionally textile pieces, adding to its authenticity and charm.

Size: 25 x 18 cm

To view more vintage textiles in our collection, click here. The rug clamps as seen in this photo will be removed before delivery. If you would like to purchase these bronze clamps you can do so here.

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White Scarf

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This oil on canvas is housed in a black wood frame which complements the painting brilliantly. Both painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 74 x 58 cm cm (including frame)

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Woman in a Pink Blouse

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A contemplative modernist figurative painting that depicts a seated woman before a softly rendered natural backdrop, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1975.

Her dark bob frames her lightly sketched expression, lending the composition an air of introspection and quiet distance. The figure’s mauve-pink blouse, trimmed with ruffled lace, contrasts subtly with the muted greens and browns of the forested landscape behind her.

The artist has used a delicate balance between precision and restraint: the background is softly diffused with translucent washes, while the figure’s form is more sharply delineated. The lower section of the painting introduces a striking geometric interruption: a striped band in cream, burgundy, and brown – that recalls textile or interior motifs, grounding the work in a unique aesthetic.

Brushstrokes are measured and matte, with thinly applied layers that allow the canvas texture to breathe through. The palette is subdued yet harmonious, evoking a faded photograph or memory : an image caught between presence and absence, realism and abstraction.

This oil on canvas is presented in a silver frame. The painting is in excellent vintage condition. The frame displays some signs of age wear with marks and scuffs, as shown in the photos.

Size: 66.5 x 80.5 cm (including frame)

Free domestic (UK) shipping. As this artwork is very large, it is unlikely that we will be able to ship it internationally. If you are very interested and are located outside of the UK, please contact us and we will see what we can do.

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Embrace in Blue

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An emotive and serene mid-century modernist figurative composition, executed in oil on board, and dated 1983 on reverse.

The painting captures a poignant moment of maternal love as it feature a female figure cradling a baby.

As the figure in a blue dress and with blue hair is seated on a blue chair, blending into the cobalt blue backdrop, the artist has thoughtfully chosen a monochrome blue theme – symbolising calmness and serenity.

This oil on board is housed in a complementary silver painted frame with a wide inner linen border. The painting is in excellent vintage condition, and the frame has some general scuffing but this is in keeping with its vintage quality.

Size: 56.5 x 47.5 cm (including frame)

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Figure in Profile

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A striking mid-century modernist figurative painting, executed in oil onto board by the established Swedish artist Ingvar Elén (1915–1973), whose artworks have represented in public collections including the the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the National Museum in Sweden, and the Sörmlands Museum.

The composition presents a simplified female figure shown in profile, rendered with a serene and contemplative presence. The artist has reduced the form to sculptural planes and soft geometric shapes, creating a harmonious balance between abstraction and the human silhouette.

Set against a warm terracotta-red background, the figure is built from earthy, muted tones: olive green, beige, soft cream, and gentle peach and browns – each colour block carefully placed to suggest light, shadow, and the natural curvature of the body. The palette feels both understated and bold.

The brushstrokes are deliberate yet textured, with visible strokes that give the flat planes a subtle tactile depth. Edges are softly defined rather than rigid, lending the piece a graceful, contemplative rhythm. The overall effect is calm, refined, and deeply atmospheric – an elegant study of form and restraint.

A beautiful example of mid-century modernist figurative art, perfect for collectors who appreciate minimalism, colour harmony, and sculptural silhouettes.

This oil on board is presented in a very well-suited gilt frame with an inner moulding with visible wood grain. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 61.5 x 33.5 cm (including frame)

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Nude on Chair

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A large and striking mid-century modernist style nude figurative painting, executed in oil onto board.

A female nude figure seated on a chair punctuates the center of the composition. She is positioned in a relaxed pose, yet her lack of facial features lends an air of mystery. The background is striking, dominated by a large block of red, which contrasts harmoniously with smaller panels of blue and green that both have yellow undertones.

The artist has used short and expressive brushstrokes, creating a lightly textured surface. Colours are layered thoughtfully, blending the bold with the subdued, resulting in a painting that evokes a soothing quality amidst vibrant energy.

This large oil on board is housed in a complementary wood frame with an inner linen border. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 73.5 x 68.5 cm (including frame)

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Seated Woman with Letter

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A large and brilliantly executed mid-century modernist style figurative painting, executed in oil onto canvas.

The composition presents a contemplative female figure seated on a simple chair, her body angled gently to the side as she holds a folded piece of paper in her hand. The faceless portrayal lends the work a universal quality, allowing the figure to embody both anonymity and intimacy.

The style is distinctly modernist and abstracted, with simplified forms, flat planes, and carefully balanced geometric blocks of colour. The composition is built on interlocking shapes, where body, chair, and background meld seamlessly, reinforcing the quiet harmony of the scene.

The palette is warm and earthy, with shades of terracotta, brown, and sienna set against muted peach, pale creams, and soft blues. Darker tones in the figure’s dress contrast with the lighter background, creating depth while maintaining the painting’s restrained, introspective mood.

Brushstrokes are broad and deliberate, with smooth transitions that emphasise form rather than detail. The painter resists naturalism, instead favouring abstraction and tonal rhythm to evoke atmosphere and feeling.

This oil on canvas is presented in a wood frame with a white inner border. The painting has some light marks to its surface but nothing that detracts from its overall attractiveness. The frame has some areas of paint loss as shown, but is otherwise in good stable condition.

Size: 89 x 51.5 cm (including frame)

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Life by the Water

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A mid-century painting that depicts a quiet coastal village scene, capturing the everyday rhythms of life by the sea, and executed in oil onto canvas.

In the foreground, two adult figures and two children are shown walking towards the water’s edge, their simplified forms reduced to geometric blocks of colour. Between them, a broad expanse of fabric or net stretches out, leading the eye towards the distant horizon. A fishing boat sails calmly in the background, suggesting the livelihood and maritime traditions of the community.

Executed in a restrained mid-century modernist style, the work favours flat planes, abstraction, and strong compositional geometry over fine detail. The figures and houses are stylised, with angular silhouettes and minimal facial or bodily definition.

The palette is soft yet striking, dominated by cool shades of sky-blue, grey, and sea-green, contrasted with earthy tones of terracotta and beige on the rooftops and figures. The balance of muted colours evokes a sense of clarity and calm, reflective of coastal light.

The artist has used broad, textured brushstrokes, layering opaque planes of colour in a way that emphasises surface and form rather than naturalistic depth. Edges are clean yet slightly rough, reinforcing the handmade quality of the work.

This oil on canvas is presented in a complementary wood frame with an inner silver border. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 59 x 70.5 cm (including frame)

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The Resting Muse

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A brilliantly executed mid-century modernist figurative painting that presents a stylised nude form rendered in soft, interlocking shapes, executed onto canvas by Swedish painter Bengt Lundin (1924-2005) whose works have been exhibited at the National Museum in Stockholm, as well as Modern Art Museum in Sweden.

The figure reclines in an abstracted interior space, her body defined by bold blocks of colour rather than distinct outlines. The composition is reduced to essential forms, yet the posture conveys a quiet sensuality and repose.

The artist has used a palette of muted browns, taupe, and creams, contrasted with deep blue and olive-green accents that evoke both depth and intimacy. The patterned background, suggestive of foliage or textile design, enhances the rhythmic harmony of the piece.

The brushstrokes are confident and broad, with areas of visible texture and raw canvas left exposed, lending an immediacy and honesty to the work. Each shape feels intentionally placed, balancing figuration and abstraction.

A celebration of form and tone, this painting captures the essence of modernist restraint – expressive, structured, and deeply human.

This oil on canvas is presented in a complementary slim wood frame. Both painting and frame are in very good vintage condition.

Size: 70.5 x 52 cm (including frame)

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