"Vino Tinto-gänget" by Peter Dahl from the Sivert Oldenvi Collection

In 1975, Peter Dahl became a professor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm. He published the books "The Basics of Figure Drawing," "O Mecaenas," and "The History of Caribania." The Händer Gallery opened with a series of his portraits as he simultaneously exhibited at Svenska Bilder under the very Swedish concept of the "EPA Bar". In the 1980s, there was the important exhibition of his interpretations of Bellman's work, marking a popular breakthrough. Peter Dahl has been described as a literary painter and a painterly author. He is painterly in his light touch, flowing brushwork, and warm color palette. Literary in that he tells a story or relates to a reality we can recognize. His paintings are snapshots with unreserved openness, combined with keen observational skills. He tells a story as he paints and paints as he tells a story. Dahl was one of the artists, like his role model Rembrandt, who painted himself into his compositions. This was especially evident in interiors from the parts of Stockholm's pub world where he was a frequent visitor.

Folke Edwards writes, "At the same time as he painted these works, Peter created a series of pictures in the early 1980s that he called the 'Vino Tinto Gang,' in which he often appeared - alone or doubled - as the main character. The other figures - there were no more - were Elisabeth (the blonde), the artist Lars-Olov Wiberg (Elisabeth's ex-husband), and the Finnish artist Leena Luostarinen: a quartet that often met, drank wine, and sang songs from 'The Threepenny Opera' and Bellman. Judging by the paintings, their wine consumption and bohemian style left little doubt that they felt more affinity with the 'underworld' than the 'upper world."(Edwards, Folke. 'Peter Dahl', 1996, p. 109)