International studio (24.1904/1905(1905))

Swedish Art at St. Louis

northern winter’s night. Thus it happens that
in no country of the world is art more national,
more animated, or more true than it is in Sweden
to-day, convincing evidence of which is shown in
the superb display from that country in the Art
Palace of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
This is a magnificent collection, notwithstanding
the fact that but one of the artist leagues is repre-
sented as a unit. Had all the societies responded,
several times the allotted space would have been
necessary for their accommodation and perhaps
the showing would not have been of such uniform
excellence throughout as it now is. The fact is,
however, that the most prominent members of the
other societies were especially invited to contribute
work, which they have generously and creditably
done. The commission was put under the manage-
ment of A. Schultzberg, who has discharged
his duties with perfect satisfaction and fairness to
all concerned.

In contrast to the purely Swedish character of
the present exhibit, one may note, perhaps, a
radical departure from the French influence in the
work displayed by Baron Gustaf Cederstrom,
Schultzberg, Bohm, and others at the Chicago
Exposition. Again, if one or another of the names
at the latter exposition is missing from the walls at
St. Louis, we are attracted by the work of several
youngerartists in their stead—Almqvist, Ankarcrona,
Bergstrom, Bernhard and Emil Osterman, V. Smith,
Vallen and Kallstenius—Kallstenius, who, with
Schultzberg, is ranked as the greatest Swedish
landscapist of the younger generation. Essays of
the northern summer especially appeal to Mr.
Kallstenius, and are rendered with equal facility
whether enveloped in the full light of day flooding
over the woods and pine hills, or in twilight wherein
the deep blue air catches a golden radiance, or
wrapped in the tender veil of night. With its
silent reflection in the waters beneath, The Evening


5-’