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Carl Palme
Positano Village Ink and Watercolor Drawing, Signed, Circa 1921

1921

$1,735.24
£1,290.37
€1,450
CA$2,381.65
A$2,601.50
CHF 1,377.05
MX$31,274.07
NOK 17,504.29
SEK 16,010.48
DKK 11,046.87

About the Item

A rare ink and watercolor drawing by Carl Palme, dated 1921 and signed “CP 21,” captures the intimate character of Positano’s narrow alleys. Measuring ca. 20 x 24 cm without frame. Inscribed on the back that it´s a preparatory study for a larger oil painting. Early 20th century works by Palme are scarce. Carl Palme (1879–1960): Painter, Printmaker, and Cosmopolitan Artist. He was born in Stockholm in 1879, the son of bank director Henrik Palme and Anna Lavonius. He grew up on the family estate of Svalnäs, now a guest home and senior residence. From an early age, Palme showed a sensitivity to both literature and art, interests that would later merge in his career as painter, draftsman, printmaker, and author. His artistic education began in London at the Slade School of Fine Art (1900–1901), where he was introduced to modern European currents. From 1902 to 1904, he studied in Munich at Wassily Kandinsky’s art school, absorbing early expressions of color and form. In 1907, Palme moved to Paris, where he became the first Swedish student of Henri Matisse. Together with fellow Scandinavian artists, he was instrumental in founding the Académie Matisse, a collective of young painters who rented a large studio in Paris. Matisse himself visited weekly, critiquing their work and shaping what would later become a decisive wave of modernism in Swedish art. Among the group were such notable names as Isaac Grünewald, Sigrid Hjertén, and Einar Jolin. Palme traveled frequently to Positano, a village on the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy, not far from Naples. At that time, Positano was still a relatively remote fishing village built dramatically into the steep hillside above the Mediterranean. Its labyrinth of stairways and sun-drenched terraces inspired Palme’s drawings and paintings. Historically, Positano had been a flourishing port in the Duchy of Amalfi during the Middle Ages and a wealthy maritime town in the 16th and 17th centuries. By the 19th century, however, economic decline forced many inhabitants to emigrate. Tourism only began to transform Positano in the mid-20th century, especially after John Steinbeck’s famous 1953 essay brought international recognition. Palme’s depictions of the village thus capture it at a moment before its rediscovery, reflecting an intimate, authentic Mediterranean atmosphere. In 1914, after meeting Emil Orlik in Berlin, Palme shifted his attention from painting to color woodcuts. He refined a personal method of carving multiple woodblocks—one for each color—allowing him to create highly nuanced, layered prints. This medium became central to his later career, setting him apart from many of his contemporaries. Palme exhibited regularly and his works are today represented in several major institutions, including the Nationalmuseum and Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the Gothenburg Museum of Art, Malmö Museum, and Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde. His 1950 book, Konstens Karyatider, offered a humorous and reflective account of his travels and artistic experiences across Europe, while also providing unique insights into his pioneering color woodcut technique. From 1933 until his death in 1960, Carl Palme lived and worked at Villa Fostorp in Katrineholm, continuing to paint, write, and experiment with printmaking. His legacy rests on his cosmopolitan vision, his role in introducing modernist impulses to Sweden, and his distinctive contribution to the art of the woodcut.
  • Creator:
    Carl Palme (1879 - 1960, Swedish)
  • Creation Year:
    1921
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)Width: 17.72 in (45 cm)Depth: 0.79 in (2 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    The drawing is in good condition. A new passepartout and gilt wood frame has been fitted and with acid free mounting.
  • Gallery Location:
    Stockholm, SE
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2608215869412

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