Olle Nyman (1909-1999)
Sweden
Oil on canvas, Signed
12 1/2” x 15 3/4”

Olle Nyman was born on Christmas Eve in 1909 in Slatsjö-Duvnäs, where he remained throughout his life. The natural landscape and architecture of the region informed his artistic practice, which spanned painting, sculpture and mixed media work. In the 1940s and 1950s he welcomed his friends and fellow artists to work and live at his family home. The group, which also included Evert Lundquist, Staffan Hallström and Roland Kemp, would become known as the “Slatsjö-Duvnäs Group.” Later, from 1953-1963 he became a professor in painting at the Academy of Fine Arts. During this time, he began to make sculptures of animals and human figures from found pieces of ceramic, glass, and stone, all assembled with cement.

This small painting is of an allée of slender trees bordering what seems to be a quiet street in midsummer. The impression is of stillness and serenity, the rows of verticals creating a pleasing sense of order.

Nyman’s studio and family home in Slatsjö-Duvnäs remains open to the public for guided tours of the property, as well as special exhibitions and workshops.