Bridge in Arno
Signed Leander Engström. Executed around 1920. Oil on panel 41 x 33 cm.
Literature
Nils Palmgren, Leander Engström, 1947, compare with "Arno, Florence," 1920, mentioned p. 115, illustrated p. 49.
More information
After the First World War, the borders reopened and Leander Engström travelled, along with his Swedish artis friends, Einar Jolin, Ragnar Hoppe, and Gregor Paulsson, to Italy via London and Paris.
The Italian landscape with cypress trees, fields, and stone houses made a deep impression, and Engström began to paint with an intense and vibrant palette, far removed from his earlier lighter style. In particular, the Arno River in Florence became a favourite spot, where he depicted everyday life and created some of his most expressive works. The painting in this auction, dating from around 1920, reflects this newfound joy of creation and the artist's strong impressions of Italy.
More about Leander Engström
Per leander Engström was a Swedish visual artist born in Ytterhogdal. He studied under the tutorship of Henri Matisse in Paris and the artists association school in Stockholm. Engström was part of the artistic group De Unga together with none other than Isaac Grünewald and Tor Bjurström. Engström was greatly inspired by Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne. Leander Engström followed in Osslund's footsteps and was captivated by Lapland's overwhelming natural scenery, which he depicted using the forms and colors of Fauvism. His paintings from 1912-15 - landscapes, still lifes, nude scenes - are harmonious and emotional, built upon Cézannes principles of discrete, weak colours. The years between 1916 and 1919 kan be understood as his most expressionistic period. Sweeping lines, large stylised planes and bright strong colours dominated his characteristic style. Engström found himself in Italy between 1920 and 1922 where he studied the early Rennaissance; it was during this time that he neared new objectivity. Leander Engström was one of Matisse's most impressive pupils.
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