Signed Vintage Swedish Tapestry “Spring by the Sea” by Rug & Kilim, 1975

Details

Description

Handwoven in wool and originating circa 1975, this 6x10 Swedish tapestry titled "Vår vid havet" or “Spring by the Sea” … Read more Handwoven in wool and originating circa 1975, this 6x10 Swedish tapestry titled "Vår vid havet" or “Spring by the Sea” is a museum-grade masterpiece of Scandinavian Modernism. Designed by artist Brita Molin and woven at Handarbetets Vänner, it captures the tempestuous energy of the Nordic coast in striking blue, fiery orange, and charcoal tones, with the label reading “ Vävd på Handarbetets Vänner 1975 av Kajsastina Wickman, Emiko Uematsu och Verena Lindblad efter skiss av Brita Molin. Gåva till Kooperativa Förbundet från Konsumentföreningarna vid 75 årsjubileet 1974.”

On the Design:

Designed in 1975 by celebrated Swedish artist and printmaker Brita Molin, this flatweave tapestry was executed by master weavers Kajsastina Wickman, Emiko Uematsu, and Verena Lindblad at the world-renowned Handarbetets Vänner (Friends of Handicraft) studio in Stockholm. Commissioned as an official anniversary gift for Kooperativa Förbundet, this piece stands as a landmark example of late 20th-century Swedish textile art, complete with woven studio signatures.

Titled "Vår vid havet" or “Spring by the Sea”, the framework translates the elemental awakening of a Nordic coastal spring into a dramatic narrative of gestural abstraction. Channeling the atmospheric power of Abstract Expressionism, sweeping diagonal strokes of electric cobalt, deep indigo, and oceanic cyan evoke crashing waves, thawing ice, and sea winds. A brilliant streak of fiery orange and coral slashes across the center like sunlight breaking through storm clouds, anchored by moody charcoal and deep navy shadows below. The weavers at Handarbetets Vänner masterfully translated Molin’s painterly sketch into wool, capturing fluid brushstrokes and delicate tonal shifts within a flatweave construction. Rich in provenance, historical artistry, and emotional depth, this signed textile serves as a commanding wall hanging for fine art collections, modernist interiors, or gallery spaces. The accompanying book, Upstate: Living Spaces with Space to Live by Lisa Przystup, is part of Volumes by Rug & Kilim. The book (SKU - B360) can be acquired independently through our bookstore.

Condition:

This mid-century tapestry enjoys good condition for its age and origin—intended for use in wall-hanging projects only. See less