A serene mid-century street scene landscape composition, painted in oil onto board in 1943 by the established Swedish artist Richard Björklund (1897–1974), whose works have been exhibited in public collections including the National Museum in Stockholm, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Malmo Museum, Ystads Art Museum, and others.

A lone figure, dressed in pale tones, walks along a soft earthen path leading past whitewashed houses and verdant trees. The warm, golden orb of the moon sun hovers low in the sky, diffusing a gentle glow across the tranquil landscape.

Executed in a restrained yet expressive modernist style, the painting features simplified geometric forms and broad, confident brushstrokes that evoke mood over detail. The palette is harmonious and understated: soft mauves, sage greens, muted browns, and twilight blues – conjuring the serenity of evening light settling over the countryside.

The artist’s brushwork is smooth yet deliberate, with layered strokes that suggest texture and depth while maintaining a sense of calm minimalism. There’s a quiet intimacy to the composition: a tender moment of stillness suspended between day and night.

This oil on board is presented in a complementary gilt frame with a broad inner linen border. A few marks can be seen above the tree area of the painting, otherwise it is in very good vintage condition. Some age spots are visible on the linen border of the frame, along with light scuffs. These minor imperfections are consistent with age and definitely do not detract from the overall presentation.

Size:  51.5 x 59 cm (including frame)

A soothing mid-century oil painting that captures a quiet street scene lined with houses and trees, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun., and executed in oil onto board.

A row of houses lines the street, their facades softened by warm tones of terracotta, and muted blue. Tall, bare trees rise dramatically against the pale evening sky, their stark branches casting long, angular shadows across the path. A figures on the right has been reduced to a simplified silhouette, move gently along the sunlit road, adding a quiet human presence without disturbing the stillness of the scene.

Executed in a modernist style, the painting emphasises simplified forms and a rhythmic interplay of light and shadow rather than intricate detail. The brushstrokes are bold yet controlled, with swift, directional strokes that echo the lines of the trees and the lengthening shadows.

The artist employs a harmonious balance of warm and cool tones to evoke the calm of twilight. The golden glow of the sunset contrasts with the cooler blue-greys of shaded areas, enhancing the depth of the composition. The mood is contemplative and serene, inviting viewers into a moment of quiet transition between day and night.

This oil on board is housed in a unique lightly toned wooden frame with natural grain patterns, and with an inner cream border. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition. 

A charming mid-century modernist painting that captures a quiet street scene bathed in soft Mediterranean light, executed in oil onto canvas.

A lone figure, dressed in muted tones and carrying a bundle on her head, walks along an empty terracotta-hued pathway that leads into a cluster of geometric buildings. The architecture – flat-roofed houses, arched entrances, and clean-lined terraces—suggests a southern European or North African village, rendered with a sense of calm order and stillness.

The artist has used a restrained palette of warm browns, sandy beiges, pale blues, and soft whites, punctuated by accents of terracotta red on window shutters and rooftops. Each surface is painted in flat planes of colour, with minimal blending, giving the work a faceted, almost mosaic-like quality. Shadows fall in structured blocks, enhancing the geometry of the scene.

Brushstrokes are confident and deliberate, favouring smooth, even applications of paint that maintain the clarity of form rather than expressive texture. There is a quiet rhythm to the composition – the repeating rooflines, the verticals of the distant buildings, and the solitary figure grounding the scene with a gentle narrative presence. The overall atmosphere is one of stillness, heat, and understated elegance – an ode to everyday life rendered through a modernist lens.

This oil on canvas is beautifully presented in a well-suited linen-lined wooden frame. The painting is in good vintage condition overall, with just a tiny area of paint loss on the right-hand side – on the second building in from the right by the windows. This small detail does not detract from the artwork’s overall charm.

Size: 44 x 52 cm (including frame)