The Mauve Pine, 1934

An original Swedish landscape by Harry Harryan, dated 1934. A solitary pine rises from a steep hillside, rendered in unexpected shades of dusty mauve and muted green against a softly clouded sky. Loose, expressive brushwork moves through the sandy ochre foreground and deep blue-green tree line, giving the small landscape remarkable color and movement.

Signed and dated 1934. The reverse bears an original handwritten inscription and signature, adding another layer of history to the work. Sourced in Sweden and presented in its vintage gilt-toned wood frame.

About the Artist

Harry Harryan (1895–1948), born Karl Alfred Harry Andersson in Stockholm, was a Swedish painter, printmaker and draftsman. He studied at Carl Wilhelmson's painting school from 1913–1917 before continuing his artistic development through travel and study in France and Italy. He began painting in oils around 1914 and later became accomplished in printmaking, studying etching in Paris in 1927.

In 1923, Harryan worked at Smedsudden alongside Erik Hallström, Gunnar Svensson and Ture Tideblad, artists associated with the Swedish Intimists. The group favored intimate subjects and a quieter approach to color, and Harryan became known for landscapes and west-coast scenes characterized by restrained but distinctive palettes. His wider body of work also included socially engaged urban subjects, while his graphic work sometimes drew inspiration from fairy tales.

Born Andersson, he adopted the surname Harryan in 1933, making the 1934 date of this painting particularly interesting—it belongs to the very beginning of his career under the name by which he is now known.

Harryan became an important figure within Sweden's graphic arts community. He served as chairman of Grafiska Sällskapet from 1940 until his death in 1948, was a board member of Konstnärsklubben, and belonged to Svenska Konstnärernas Förening and Konstnärernas Riksorganisation. A memorial exhibition was held at Färg och Form in Stockholm in 1949, and his graphic work was later included in Grafiska Sällskapet's 50th-anniversary exhibition at Göteborgs Konsthall in 1960. His work is represented in major Swedish public collections, including Nationalmuseum and Moderna Museet.

Details

✓ Original oil painting on panel
✓ Harry Harryan (Swedish, 1895–1948)
✓ Signed
✓ Dated 1934
✓ Swedish forest landscape
✓ Original handwritten inscription and signature on reverse
✓ Sourced in Sweden
✓ Presented in a vintage gilt-toned wood frame
✓ Ready to hang

Measurements

10.6 × 11.8 inches framed

Condition

Good vintage condition with age-related wear consistent with its age. The vintage frame shows expected surface wear. Please review photographs closely as they form part of the condition description.

Why We Chose It

The color made this one for us — particularly the unexpected mauve and dusty rose running through the solitary pine against the sandy hillside. We also loved the expressive brushwork and the handwritten inscription preserved on the reverse.

Shipping

Free U.S. shipping. Always carefully packed and fully insured.