Pears & Patterns

A playful and characterful still life composition depicting an arrangement of pears, a rustic jug and a white smoking pipe, executed in tempera on board and dated 1978, by the established Swedish artist Eric Cederberg (1897-1984), whose artworks have been represented in several public and museum collections across Sweden.

Small yet impactful in its composition, three green pears nestle within a striking turquoise pedestal bowl, while a fourth rests independently beside a generously proportioned brown jug. A small white pipe sits in the foreground, adding an unexpected and whimsical touch. Behind the arrangement, decorative patterned wallpaper, a vivid blue doorway-like shape and stylised leaves introduce further layers of visual interest.

Executed in a distinctly modernist style, the painting embraces simplified, almost geometric forms, flattened perspectives and bold outlines. Its lively palette of mustard yellow, burnt orange, olive green and earthy brown is beautifully punctuated by brilliant turquoise blue and crisp white accents. Confident, deliberate brushstrokes and broad passages of flat colour create a graphic, almost collage-like quality, while subtle variations in texture lend warmth and character to the composition.

This tempera on board is presented in a complementary gilt wood frame with a gently bevelled profile and aged golden finish. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 24 x 29 cm (including frame)