Mid Century Swedish Expressionist Painting by Margareta Wallin-Kylander 1978 For Sale

This Mid Century oil painting on canvas by Swedish artist Margareta Wallin Kylander (1912- 1990) is executed in a Modernist figurative style. Heavily influenced by Fauvism and Expressionism this composition explores organic themes of nature, fertility, and paradise.
Embracing Expressionism with heavy Post-Impressionist influences, it is modern reimagining inspired by the vivid color palettes and style of European modernists like Edvard Munch and the Swedish Gothenburg Colorists.
A large stylized fruit tree dominates the left-center of the canvas. Its canopy is packed with deep green foliage, punctuated by large, round fruits rendered in warm orange and soft pink tones. Standing beneath the boughs of the tree are two simplified nude figures. The foreground is framed by large, vibrant red and pink poinsettia-like plants with prominent yellow staminas. To the left and right background, clusters of golden-yellow sunflowers and wild blooms add to the dense, overflowing atmosphere of the garden.
The canvas is dominated by saturated hues of intense reds, bright oranges, deep greens, and warm yellows. Expressive, loose brushstrokes are thick, visible, and spontaneous, lending a rhythmic texture to the canvas. The silhouettes blend almost seamlessly into the environment. The intense contrast between the deep greens, fiery oranges, and striking reds creates a joyful, paradisiacal atmosphere full of vitality.
Margareta Wallin-Kylander (born Wallin; 1912 – 1990) was a prominent Swedish Modernist painter known for her vibrant, expressive oil paintings. She received an extensive international art education first studying under the legendary painter Waldemar Lorentzon in Halmstad. Then in Italy she expanded her formal skills at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts. She lived in France for six years, training under the renowned Cubist master André Lhote at the famous Académie Julian. Following her time in Paris, she embarked on extensive painting trips across Spain, Portugal, and Greece. These Mediterranean influences heavily shaped her style, leading to a body of work characterized by bold, sunny coloration, expressive brushwork, and simplified, tonal figurative forms.
She held individual exhibitions in major Swedish towns, including Malmö, Linköping, Eksjö, Tranås, and repeatedly in Eskilstuna. She actively exhibited and participated in the high-profile Stockholm Salons at the Liljevalchs Art Gallery. She was also featured in international group exhibitions celebrating Swedish talent in locations like Germany (Erlangen), Denmark (Esbjerg), and Norway (Stavanger).
This painting is a classic example of her late-career, vivid signature work. It showcases Wallin-Kylander\'s post-Paris style, blending lush, layered greenery, bright orange citrus tones, poinsettias, and dynamic figures into an atmospheric, warm composition
The painting measures 18 inches wide by 21 and 5/8 inches high framed to a size of 19 and 1/2 inches wide by 23 and 1/8 inches high and is in very good to near perfect condition. The canvas is tight, intact and without repairs. It is signed front right bottom Margareta Wallin and dated Jan. 1978 on the back stretcher frame. The wooden gold toned frame is in very good condition with minimal handling wear. There are 2 vintage exhibition pamphlets of her work written in Swedish. These came with the painting when I purchased it from a Swedish sale house.
This vibrant artwork is a fantastic anchor piece for curating a space. Its rich expressionist palette—featuring deep forest greens, warm oranges, soft blush pinks, and bright golds—offers a perfect color story for Dopamine Decor, Eclectic Maximalism, and Mediterranean-inspired interiors.