Axel Olson (1899-1986) - Colorful Landscape by the Cliff, c. 1935

Axel Olson (1899-1986) Sweden

Colorful Landscape by the Cliff, c. 1935

gouache paper mounted on board
signed Acke O
unframed 23.9 x 30.2 cm (9.41 x 11.89 inches)
framed 40 x 46 cm (ca 15.75 x 18.11 inches)

Provenance:
A gift on the engagement day of Sjunne Mårtensson and Gerda Nilsson in 1935, from the staff of Elverket.

Essay:

This painting, created around 1935, showcases Axel Olson's experimentation with surrealism during the 1930s. Executed with a technique reminiscent of pointillism, the artwork captures a serene yet subtly whimsical landscape. Olson, drawing inspiration from his immediate surroundings, depicts a steep cliff adorned with a fence at its summit, and a wheelbarrow situated amidst a mosaic of vivid colors and textures. The painting's pointillist approach, marked by carefully placed dots of gouache, imbues the scene with a dynamic and almost dreamlike quality.

The Artist:

Axel Olson, born on October 22, 1899, in Halmstad, Sweden, was a painter, draftsman, and graphic artist. He was an influential member of the Halmstad Group, a collective known for its contribution to surrealist and modernist art in Sweden. Olson's artistic journey began in 1915 when he co-founded the group "Gnistan" with his brother Erik Olson and cousin Waldemar Lorentzon. He made his exhibition debut in Halmstad in 1919, which led to a significant connection with Gösta Adrian-Nilsson.

In the early 1920s, Olson traveled across Italy and Germany to refine his craft, eventually settling in Berlin in 1923 to study under the avant-garde sculptor Alexander Archipenko. His time in Berlin exposed him to the leading movements of the European avant-garde, including Cubism, Futurism, and Constructivism.

Upon returning to Halmstad in 1924, Olson founded and taught at the "De unga" group with Sven Jonson and Esaias Thorén. He also worked as a commercial artist to support himself. By 1929, he had co-founded the Halmstad Group, which played a pivotal role in the Swedish surrealist movement. Olson’s works during the 1930s increasingly embraced surrealism, often drawing from everyday scenes and incorporating recurring motifs such as plows and anchors.

Throughout his career, Olson participated in numerous significant exhibitions, including one in London in 1937. The onset of World War II profoundly impacted his work, resulting in notable pieces like "Hamn" and "Svart kväll" (1940). In the 1940s, he joined the Söndrum Colony, a collective of artists that included Sven X Erixson and other members of the Halmstad Group.

In 1948, Olson visited Paris, where he encountered non-figurative French art, influencing his style towards a lighter palette during the early 1950s. Despite suffering from a severe eye condition in the 1970s, he continued to create, producing works inspired by the coastal landscapes of Halland.

His works are represented in institutions such as the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Hallands Konstmuseum, Norrköpings Konstmuseum.