Landscape in Sweden, 1871

Félicien Rops is best known as a graphic artist of erotic works. Although he initially aspired to a career as a painter, painting became more of a relaxing activity during his holidays at the seaside, in the Ardennes and abroad. Hence the small formats of these landscape paintings. Landscape in Sweden was painted in 1871 when Rops undertook a trip to Scandinavia. These little paintings are characterised by a loose, free billing and a fresh character. Rops was primarily concerned with the reproduction of an impression, whereby the writing and the colours change according to the weather conditions, the type of landscape and the sunlight. A similar, new conception can be found among the realist painters of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts, a group of artists to which Rops also belonged. In the works of these artists, direct, spontaneous perception prevails.