Patterns of a Summer Afternoon

A lively and playful abstracted mid-century still life that transforms everyday objects into rhythmic shapes and patterns, executed in oil onto canvas and dated 1951.

At the heart of the composition appears a wide-brimmed box beside a compact dish, set against a fragmented tabletop filled with textiles and geometric designs. The artist plays with perspective, flattening and tilting planes to create a patchwork of dynamic, interlocking forms that pulse with colour and texture.

The painting exemplifies the modernist fascination with form and balance: where representation gives way to feeling. Its visual language recalls both cubist structure and the spontaneity of mid-century Scandinavian abstraction, with domestic motifs rendered through bold simplification.

A harmonious palette of yellows, teal, olive green, dusty pink, and cream is punctuated by rhythmic strokes of red and blue. The brushwork is confident yet playful: thick, directional strokes build texture and depth, while smoother planes of pastel create moments of calm. The artist’s handling of paint is distinctly expressive, leaving visible brush trails that add vibrancy and movement across the canvas.

This oil on canvas is presented in a complementary slim wood. The painting is in excellent vintage condition. The frame has light scuffing to the lower half but is otherwise in good condition.

Size: 69 x 56.5 cm (including frame)