Shadowed Ascent

A brilliantly executed and compelling abstract landscape with figure oil composition painted in 1953 by the established Swedish artist Ivar Morsing (1919-2009), whose works have been exhibited in public collections including the National Museum in Stockholm, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Kalmar Museum, and Jönköping Museum.

The painting presents silhouetted forms ascending against a fractured, mountainous backdrop. The figures – three discernible shapes rendered in deep charcoal- emerge in the foreground moving through a fragmented terrain, evoking themes of journey, endurance, or spiritual pilgrimage.

Executed in a subdued palette of earthy and muted tones, the painting achieves a rich tonal harmony while emphasising contrast between light and dark. The angular planes and hard-edged abstraction suggest influences of Cubism and Modernist figuration, with geometric simplification shaping both figures and landscape.

Thick, directional brushstrokes lend the work a tactile surface, especially in the earthy sky and rock formations. This adds depth and texture, reinforcing the sense of movement within an otherwise still and solemn scene.