Gustaf Fjaestad
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Moonlight over Engelbrektsholmen
Signed G Fjaestad. Oil on panel, 96 x 121 cm.
Provenance
Bukowski Auktioner, Important Winter Sale 613, 6 - 7 December 2018, lot 587.
More information
At the turn of the 20th century, Gustaf and Maja Fjaestad began to take an interest in Theosophy, an esoteric doctrine that blends elements of Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. They participated in the founding of the Theosophical Society in Arvika and engaged with the literature and lectures conveyed by some of the central figures of the doctrine, such as Helena Blavatsky and Rudolf Steiner.
In his artistic work, Gustaf Fjaestad frequently returns to the theme of water, often depicted as snow and ice, but also, as seen in the painting currently up for auction, in the tranquility of a lake. Water is a recurring symbol in Theosophy, representing the spirit of life whose force is present in every component of nature and humanity.
Artist
Gustav Fjaestad was a pupil of Bruno Liljefors and Carl Larsson. He became renound for his depictions of Swedish winter landscapes, often with glistening icecrystals and bubbling water by ice's edge, sometimes lit up by the setting sun, sometimes in scales of grey, white and purple. He also designed templates for woven wallpapers, furniture, and wrought iron. He is represented in major Swedish museums as well as in Vienna and Chicago.
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