Peter Dahl
Covered by droit de suite
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No. 12 from the suite "Drömmar i soffhörnet", "- Får jag lov min sköna?"
Signed Peter Dahl and dated -70. Canvas 92 x 81 cm.
Provenance
Bukowski Auktioner, Höstens Moderna auktion, 1996, cat no 154.
Exhibitions
Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, 6 - 23 February, 1971.
Literature
Folke Edwards, "Peter Dahl", 1997,ill p. 72.
"Peter Dahls världar", texts by Elsebeth Welander-Berggren [and five others], ed. Christoffer Dahl, 2018, illustrated p. 79.
More information
Peter Dahl had his breakthrough around 1970, thanks to his series of critical realist paintings. This series, "Drömmar i soffhörnet" ("Dreams In The Sofa Corner") is made up of twenty paintings. The artist himself described it as follows: "Most perceived the series "Drömmar i soffhörnet" as a political satire of our society, and rightly so. However, it was also a portrayal of the problematic relationship between reality and daydreams." (From Peter Dahls memoir "Ofullbordat", 1994).
For the exhibition at Sven-Harry's Art Gallery in Stockholm 2018, the following was written about this group of artworks: "In the series from 1970, the couple Kalle and Rosa are sat on the sofa dreaming about being invited to a party by their boss. Rosa enthusiastically describes the luxury and elegance that she recognises from the gossip magazines. Kalle replies scornfully and negatively. The storyline escalates with celebrities who become increasing liberated: Princess Sibylla and an unknown man kiss. Everything is ruined when Kalle goes on about his revolutionary romantic dreams and revolts in the living room. The party disappears and they are back on the sofa.
When the series was presented at Gothenburgs Art Gallery in December 1970, the police confiscated a painting that was viewed as Liberalisms breakthrough in society, known as "Sibyllamålningen" ("the sibyl painting"), as it was considered morally offensive. The investigation of the artwork was soon dropped as no expert could say that the painting wasn't an authentic artwork.
As a direct reaction to the so-called "Sibyllaskandalen" ("sibyl scandal"), Peter Dahl quickly painted the series "Kalles Dröm" ("Kalle's Dream") in 1971." (From Peter Dahls Världar page 76-77).
Artist
Peter Dahl is painter, printmaker, sculptor, and author. He was born in Oslo and came to Stockholm during the war years of the 1940s, studying at cadémie Libre in 1957 and then attended the Royal Institute of Art from 1958 to 1963 under the guidance of Lennart Rhode. He worked as a teacher at Gelesborg’s school during the 60s and 70s, and was the head professor of painting at Valand Art Academy in Gothenburg from 1975-79. Dahl paints in an expressive, realistic style with bright colours, sensual figure compositions, his art a vessel for his criticism towards upper class luxury and petty bourgeois environments. Influenced by the expressionism of Francis Bacon, he depicted the sequence of events in Medelsvensson's daydreams about "the sweet life" in the upper social group in a series of images. Over the years, Peter Dahl continued with thematic painting. From 1981 to 1984, he illustrated Fredman's Epistles in 87 pictures.
He is outgoing and often depicts his own life with a touch of self-irony. His work is rooted in Swedish tradition, often revisiting and renewing old themes. In recent years, his style has become softer and more sensual, with his dance and bacchanalian motifs taking on a Rococo-like quality. As a printmaker, Dahl is particularly known for his congenial illustrations of Bellman's "Fredman's Epistles." Peter Dahl is considered one of the great artists of our time, immensely productive and consistently popular.
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