In 1889 when the work above was created, Axel Sjöberg was a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm. He also traveled to Paris that same year. The work is certainly a model study done in an art studio. Whether done in Paris or Stockholm is not known for certain, but since this is a rather risqué painting for the 1880s, the former is more likely. This work shows Sjöberg's immense talent at a young age when painting the female form. The sharp highlight down the woman's profile and arm next to the dark background make a dramatic contrast and highlight the form of the model.

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     Axel Sjöberg was a Swedish painter and illustrator Born in 1866 in Stockholm. Starting at age 14 Sjöberg attended evening and weekend classes at Stockholm’s Technical School and worked as a chaser at the Swedish manufacturer of objects in silver and nickel Guldsmedsaktiebolaget, and later as a lithographer at the General Staff Lithographic Institute. He was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1885−1892. He traveled to Paris to the World's Fair in 1889 where he was sent to draw for Hemvännen. Later he illustrated numerous books including Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace in 1896, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1897.
    Like Ivan Aguéli, Herman Norrman and Karl Nordström, he took the step towards an autonomous painting − he painted his feelings for the nature motif. His later works were done in an almost pointilistic way.

     He exhibited at the World's Fair in Paris in 1900 and received a silver medal. At the Swedish Artists Association (Konstnärshuset) in 1909 he broke through as a visual artist with his own separate exhibition. He also exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1907, 1920, 1938 and 1942. In 1932 his art was part of the painting event in the art competition at the Summer Olympics.
    Retrospective exhibitions for the artist were held in 1951 at the Royal Academy for the Free Arts in Stockholm (Kungliga akademien för de fria konsterna), and in 1979 at Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde.

     The artist is represented in these public institutions:

• Nationalmuseum in Stockholm

• Gothenburg Art Museum

• Malmö Museum

• National Gallery of Denmark (SMK)

• Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde

• Värmlands Museum

• The Royal Library in Stockholm