artist: Gunnel Frieberg (Swedish 1919-2010)
medium: colour woodcut
dimensions: 35 x 35 cm image size / 46 1/2 x 49 1/2 cm frame (approx)
limited edition 112/115
signed and dated 50
presented in a new hand finished timber frame with archival mat and backing and non-reflective UV glass
AU $1120 (approx US $730 / 670 EUROS / 109,500 yen / 755 GBP - for exact current conversion visit xe.com)
artist biography
Esther Gunnel Margareta Frieberg was born September 16, 1919 in Malmö. She was a Swedish sculptor and print maker.
Frieberg studied at Zadigs Skulpturskola (Zadigs Sculpture School) in Malmö in 1936 to 1937 under sculptor Erik Grate, and then at Otte Skölds målarskola (painting school) in Stockholm.
She was awarded the Leander Engström scholarship in 1938 and studied etching with Emil Johanson-Thor and Harald Sallberg at the Konstakademien (Royal Academy of Arts) in Stockholm. She spent a year in Denmark in 1939 studying with Henry Luckow-Nielsen at Frederiksbergs Teknisk Skole in Copenhagen. She returned to Sweden in 1940 and continued at the Royal Academy studying sculpture with Nils Sjögren. She continued her studies at Konsthögskolan in Stockholm, the Grafiska Skolan (Graphics School) and the Mosaikskolan Ravenna (Mosaic School).
She made her debut in a solo exhibition of prints and drawings in Malmö in 1939. In 1942 alongside painter (and then husband) Felix Hatz she exhibited prints and drawings in Gothenburg, with Beth Zeeh she exhibited sculptures and drawings in Norrköping in 1945, and alongside Lars Norrman she exhibited sculptures in Uppsala in 1946. She had a solo show at Gummesons konsthall in 1952.
She showed with Gerry Eckhardt, Tore Hultcrantz, Georg Källkvist, Bengt Lissegårdh, Carl Palme , Kurt Ullberger in an exhibition of colour woodcuts at Lorensberg's art salon in 1956. She showed at the group exhibition Boomerangen at Liljevalch's art gallery in 1945 and 1957 and for many years participated in the National Museum's exhibition Unga tengnare (Young Artists) and on several occasions with Sveriges allmänna Konstförening (Sweden's general art association) and Skånes Konstförening.
Frieberg produced an range of impressive public art works - bronze sculptures and reliefs - including Gytte (1949 Grafikvägen, Gullmarsplan , Stockholm), Den Mexikanska Stolen (The Mexican chair) (1967, Flen), Karusell (Carousel) (1972, Hagatorget in Söderköping), Jannika (1976, Eksjö), annd Vågen av Östersjön (The Wave of the Baltic Sea) (Malmö).
Examples of Frieberg's work are held in the collections of the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the Malmö Museum, Gothenburg Art Museum, Norrköping Art Museum, Värmlands Museum and the Helsingborg Museum.
She passed away at the age of 90 on July 19, 2010 in Skarpnäck.