Atmospheric Scandinavian landscapes that bring serenity: Classic artist Arvid Lindström

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Landscape realistic painting has always been, is and will be very close and understandable for the average viewer. And a magnificent gallery of atmospheric landscapes Swedish classic painter Arvid Maurits Lindström - is a confirmation of this. Even after a whole century, the thin strings of the soul of the viewer and the snowy distances, and powerful century-old pines, and thin tender birches, illuminated by the rays of the low northern sun, which the Swedish artist portrayed with such trepidation in the style of classical realism in combination with soulful pictorial lyrics, touch the thin strings of the soul of the viewer.

By the way, many viewers who come across the work of Arvid Maurits Lindström often get the impression that the restrained beauty of Scandinavian nature reflected in his canvases is very much reminiscent of the landscapes of the Russian north, with their quiet sadness, poetic mood and restrained palette of colors. Is this really so - judge for yourself.

Creative way

The path of professional development of the majority of Scandinavian artists who worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries was quite standard. As a rule, they mastered their artistic skills in their homeland, and then went to study and internship in the countries of continental Europe. And most often it was Italy, Germany, France, where the artistic environment was literally excited by new ideas, styles, newfangled trends. Of course, many Scandinavian artists were carried away by this wave of innovations that engulfed the world of fine arts at the end of the century before last.

But, among them there were those who nevertheless remained faithful to the creative manner that they chose for themselves in their youth. Among them was Arvid Maurits Lindström, who worked in the style of the classical Scandinavian school of painting of the 19th century. His creations, written in a realistic manner, in the era of the rise of abstractionism and modernity, caused a lot of protest and negative responses from influential critics and art historians. Nevertheless, this did not prevent the artist from saying his weighty word in art, having entered the history of painting as a magnificent master of realistic landscape.

And today Lindström is one of the most famous landscape painters in Sweden, he is also included in the golden ten thousand of the best painters in the world.

Fascinated by the beauty of native nature

The primordial beauty and purity of nature literally reigns in the space of each painting of the Swedish master, who, with the sharp-sighted gaze of the painter, managed to notice the changeable world of natural phenomena, and then so reliably recreate them with the help of paints. And so that sometimes, it seems that even smells and sounds are heard that correspond to a particular state of the environment.

Lindström's landscapes seem to lead the viewer through atmospheric places from real life. Swampy moorlands, dense forests and groves, the water surface of lakes and rivers - everything is sustained in the muted, earthy palette typical of the Scandinavian lands. The only exception is one detail - captivating colorful sunsets that illuminate nature with the rays of the setting sun.

It was they who mysteriously transformed the artist's canvases into a kind of fairy-tale world. And it was with their help that the artist gave some of his works the desired bright look, which was sometimes lacking in the gray reality.

The author's foggy landscapes are especially impressive. Sometimes you just want to step into them, as in the looking glass, and find yourself behind the picture plane to personally enjoy the amazing spectacle of the morning haze, breathe in the moist cool air and hear the rustle of grass under your feet, the melodic chirping of songbirds or the quacking of ducks.

In conclusion, I would like to note that nature breathing with tranquility and tranquility, the airy atmosphere captured in landscapes, in an incredible way has a very subtle effect on the mood of the viewer, who sometimes lacks this calmness and tranquility in the bustle of life.

A few facts from the artist's life

Arvid Maurits Lindström was born in Björksta in Vestmanland, Sweden in 1849. He studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in Stockholm from 1869-1872. To continue his studies and training, he went to Munich, then to Paris. From the early 1880s he lived in England, where he joined the Artistic Association of European Artists and became an active participant in the collective opposition of the Academy of Arts. In 1885 he participated in an exhibition at the Paris Salon with the painting “Landscape. Motives from Scotland”, which was acquired by the National Museum.

Over time, Lindström moved to the Association of Swedish Artists, whose ideas he was very sympathetic. But, not finding points of contact with his contemporary compatriots, he soon left the Association and eventually chose his own original work. Arvid Maurits Lindström returned to Sweden in 1889 and settled in Engelsberg. There he built a house next to the lake and, living in close proximity to pristine nature, the artist enthusiastically painted realistic landscapes throughout his life. The genius of the atmospheric landscape died in 1923.

Continuing the theme of landscape painters working in a realistic manner, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the work of the self-taught artist Sergei Basov, whose works resemble the paintings of the great Shishkin.