Einar Jolin

In the summer of 1908, Einar Jolin stayed with the stony-broke Isaac Grünewald at Hotel Arild.
According to the local legend, Isaac Grünewald never returned to Arild, as he escaped from his own hotel bill.
However, Einar Jolin became a frequent regular guest in Arild during the 1920s and 1930s. Jolin was inspired by the enchanting environments of the peninsula and performed numerous paintings with southern Swedish landscapes, fishermen and holiday guests.

“Seeing the landscape through the artist's eye. The peninsula's dramatic nature and magnificent views were artistically discovered as early as the early 19th century. The painters could get accommodation in the picturesque fishing location Arild.
Gustaf Rydberg was just one of many who joined Arild's Scandinavian artist colony - a minor equivalent to the one in Skagen on the other side of the Kattegatt. Arild's most renowned painters include Alfred Wahlberg, P S Krøyer, Richard Bergh and Einar Jolin. "
From the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter 19/7 2015

Einar Jolin performed a large number of portraits during his career, both spontaneous portraits of interesting women and artist friends, but above all commissioned portraits for the society. This summer picture is very likely to belong to the former category.

This portrait was made in Arild in August 1930, during one of Einar Jolin's many vacations in the beautiful region. The woman in the picture sits relaxed and harmoniously in the green grass, with a whimsical and dreamy look. The landscape in the background balances the composition.

The portrait gives an example of Jolin's own interpretation of expressionism, where he captures the depicted woman in a personal way with a blond fresh palette and charming naive expression. There is also an easy and natural pace in his brush strokes, far from the objectivity that will later become his hallmark.

This watercolor painting is a brilliant example of how Jolin could combine elegance with spontaneity and healthy colors. In the mid-1930s, Einar Jolin's paintings begins to change and is instead dominated by elegant shades of gray.