Pelle Swedlund

Pelle Swedlund (1869-1948) was a Swedish artist educated at Svenska Akademien (The Swedish Academy) (1889-92) and in Paris, where he came into contact with Paul Gauguin and experimented with woodcuts. His involvement in the Nabis group, an association of French artists influenced by Symbolism, had a profound effect on him. Swedlund often used colour and light in an intense way to express his inner world and visions. In 1898 he travelled to Bruges, a city that would influence his art throughout his career. Known as Bruges-La-Morte in Georges Rodenbach's novel, Bruges became a centre of symbolist and mystical currents, and Swedlund found inspiration in the city's Gothic architecture and atmosphere. He also visited Swedish historic towns such as Birka and Visby, which shared the same mystical, historic reputation and were of great importance to artists of his time.
Swedlund was known for his introspective and poetic works, often suffused with dramatic light and deep symbolism. His works moved between different themes, from symbolist landscapes to mythological motifs. In the painting “Sankt Göran och draken” (Saint George and the Dragon) he depicts the well-known legend of Saint George, who saves a town or princess from a menacing dragon. Swedlund captures the moment when St George, riding his horse, confronts the dragon with a sword. Through his skilful play with light and colour, he conveys a dramatic and mystical feeling, where the struggle between good and evil takes on a powerful visual intensity. Swedlund creates an atmosphere of both heroism and mystery, giving the painting a timeless and universal dimension.