Anna Petrus
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a cast iron wall sculpture, Näfveqvarn, Sweden ca 1927, Swedish Grace.
Lacquered in green, 29 x 27 cm, depth ca 9,5 cm.
Wear, some small damages.
Literature
S. Artur Svensson, Gösta Lilja (ed), 'Svenskt Konstnärslexikon', Allhems Förlag, Malmö 1961, vol IV, p 410.
H. Kjellin, 'Skulptrisen Anna Petrus och hennes Vindarnas brunn', Sydsvenska Dagbladet 22 January 1928.
Christian Björk, 'Näfveqvarns bruk - konstnärer och arkitekter till industrin', Orosdi-Back 2013, compare the model illustrated on one of Asplund's water reservoirs at Skogskyrkogården, Stockholm, p 115.
More information
Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz was working with Skogskyrkogården, Sweden's architecturally most important cemetery, opened in 1920, as an almost lifelong project during the years 1915-1940. Several artists were involved in the decoration, among others Ivar Johnsson, Bror Hjorth and Anna Petrus. Reportedly circa 18 reservoirs was executed. Two sculptural objects to Asplund's reservoirs were designed by Anna Petrus, a free sculpture and a wall ornament. For Architect Asplund chose reservoirs from Näfveqvarn's regular assortment, including the reservoir which is designed by Harald Wadsjö. Skogskykogården's monumentality, however, created a need for a reservoir of a more generous size.
Artist
Anna Petrus was a sculptor and designer at the beginning of the 20th Century. After her death, Anna Petrus' work was almost forgotten, but in recent years, it been rediscovered. And now, her sculptures are sought after-objects.
She was born Anna Petersson, the daughter of a medical professor and a countess, and took the surname when she studied at the Academy of Arts. She inherited a small fortune at age 11 when her mother died, which enabled her to educate in London and travel to Italy and France. Anna Petrus had her international breakthrough at the Paris World Fair in 1925, where she displayed pewter and cast iron objects in the Swedish Grace style. At the time, pewter was a material that was considered unfashionable, but its popularity increased with designers like Anna Petrus.
In 1924, she began collaborating with the newly established Firma Svenskt Tenn. The lion became a recurring motif in Anna Petrus' production as sculptures and decorations.