Harry Booström painting

This oil painting titled “nr 24” created by Harry Booström in 1955, is an example of Swedish concretism, a movement focused on pure form, color, and composition without representational intent. The work is constructed from sharply defined geometric shapes that interlock across the surface, forming a dynamic interplay of diagonals, curves, and angular planes. The palette consists of ochre yellow, olive green, deep brown, and white, arranged in a balanced yet visually active structure. Each color field is applied with a textured surface, giving the painting material depth and emphasizing the artist’s methodical approach. The layering and juxtapositions of these shapes create spatial tension and rhythm, guiding the viewer’s eye across the canvas.

The reverse of the piece shows the artist’s handwritten marking “Nr 24 – 55” confirming both the title and its year of execution. The painting is set within a simple black frame that reinforces the clean geometric character of the composition without drawing attention away from the artwork itself. The condition is excellent vintage, with only minor signs of age, and the paint surface remains well preserved.

Harry Booström was active within the post-war Swedish concretist movement, where artists sought to explore non-figurative expression grounded in structure, proportion, and color theory. His works from the mid-1950s reflect a strong affinity with European geometric abstraction, while maintaining a distinctly Nordic sensibility in their tonal restraint and precision.

The provenance includes notable Swedish collections: William and Maud Appelquist, Gotland; Galerie Bel’Art, Stockholm; and a private collection in Stockholm, underscoring the work’s documented history.

The dimensions are 61 × 46 cm, corresponding to approximately 24 × 18.1 inches.