Afternoon Lesson

A large and outstanding mid-century modernist abstract figurative composition in oil, painted onto canvas 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 painting captures a tender moment between two figures, likely an adult and a child, engaged in a shared activity – perhaps reading – on a pale yellow surface held between them. The figures are rendered with bold black contour lines and simplified geometric forms, evoking a quiet intimacy and emotional restraint characteristic of modernist abstraction.

The palette is soft yet expressive, with cool mint green and powder blue balanced against pale yellow, white, and black. Textural brushwork adds depth, especially in the background and garment areas, where layers of impasto reveal the artist’s hand. The faceless figures and stylized forms invite universal interpretation, evoking themes of mentorship, learning, and companionship without prescribing a specific narrative.

Executed with a controlled yet expressive brush, this work speaks to the elegance of restraint – where every shape and colour block carries emotional weight.

Size:  82 x 70 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.