By the Arches

SOLD

A striking and very well executed mid century modernist composition in oil, painted onto board by 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.

It depicts a stylized North African architectural scene, characterized by a row of arched windows and whitewashed buildings with flat roofs. The structure is rendered with bold, simplified shapes and thick black outlines, giving it a graphic, modernist quality.

The palette is warm and muted, dominated by creamy whites, ochres, deep blues, and burnt siennas, evoking a desert or sunlit townscape. The composition is horizontally oriented, emphasizing the linearity of the architecture and the contrast between the built environment and the figures.

The painting has a modernist, almost expressionistic style, with an emphasis on shape, shadow, and form over fine detail. The mood is contemplative and quiet, possibly evoking the heat and stillness of a midday scene. The use of flat perspective and colour blocking contributes to a sense of abstraction, while still grounding the image in recognizable, real-world elements.

The painting is well presented in a gilt frame which suits it impeccably. Both painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 36.5 x 76 cm (including frame)