Lot Essay
Ragnar Von Holten est un peintre, poète et écrivain suédois né en 1934. Il s’installe longuement à Paris à partir de 1955, où il fait la rencontre du groupe surréaliste français au cours d’une importante rétrospective sur Gustave Moreau, l’un des peintres qui l’inspire le plus. S’alliant à ce groupe, il publia en 1969 son célèbre livre sur le Surréalisme dans l’art suédois. L’année suivante, il organise la première exposition internationale du Surréalisme en Suède. De 1985 à 1988, il prend la tête de l’institut suédois de Paris, considéré comme le porteur du mouvement surréaliste en Suède. Artiste peintre, ses compositions sont largement empreintes du courant surréaliste. En 2008, une grande rétrospective lui est consacrée au musée de Malmö.
Ragnar Von Holten was a painter, poet and writer. He was born in Sweden in 1934. He spent a considerable part of his life in Paris, beginning in 1955. There, he met the French Surrealists at a large retrospective honouring the painter Gustave Moreau. Moreau was one of his greatest inspirations. Von Holten joined the group, and in 1969 he published his renowned book on Surrealism in Swedish art. The following year, he organised Sweden’s first international Surrealist exhibition. From 1985 to 1988, Von Holten was at the helm of the Swedish Institute in Paris. He was considered the pre-eminent champion of Surrealism in Sweden. A painter at heart, Von Holten’s compositions drew freely from Surrealist trends. In 2008, a large retrospective of his work was held at the Malmö Museum.
Ragnar Von Holten was a painter, poet and writer. He was born in Sweden in 1934. He spent a considerable part of his life in Paris, beginning in 1955. There, he met the French Surrealists at a large retrospective honouring the painter Gustave Moreau. Moreau was one of his greatest inspirations. Von Holten joined the group, and in 1969 he published his renowned book on Surrealism in Swedish art. The following year, he organised Sweden’s first international Surrealist exhibition. From 1985 to 1988, Von Holten was at the helm of the Swedish Institute in Paris. He was considered the pre-eminent champion of Surrealism in Sweden. A painter at heart, Von Holten’s compositions drew freely from Surrealist trends. In 2008, a large retrospective of his work was held at the Malmö Museum.