The Ekegren Collection – Part II

Alongside his work as Group CEO and Chairman of the Board at Pågens Bageri in Malmö, Erik Ekegren (1928–2022) spent many years collecting marine paintings from around the world, primarily works from the Nordic countries, though paintings from Holland, Germany, England and France also feature prominently in the collection. Over the years, Erik Ekegren became one of Sweden’s foremost experts on marine art, and his collection eventually comprised nearly 300 paintings. He presented part of this collection in the book Båtar på vägg (“Boats on the Wall”) in 2004, published under the pseudonym “Erik Brorson”. A second edition of the book was released in 2007, with the Association of the Swedish Maritime Museum in Stockholm (FSSS) as publisher. The FSSS also purchased a large portion of Ekegren’s collection, which was exhibited for several years in the galleries of the Maritime Museum.

Bukowskis has been given the honour of selling the remaining part of the Ekegren collection. In doing so, the FSSS hopes to help increase interest in marine painting and to ensure that historically valuable works can reach a wider circle of enthusiasts both in Sweden and abroad.

In marine art, one can broadly distinguish three categories: depictions of real events, maritime landscapes, and ship portraits (covering both naval and merchant vessels). This art form began in Holland at the end of the sixteenth century and flourished there throughout the seventeenth century. In the eighteenth century, marine painting spread first to England and then quickly to other European countries with coastlines. In the Nordic region, chiefly Sweden and Denmark, marine paintings were also being produced at that time. Early motifs typically featured unnamed vessels at sea in stormy conditions or lying at anchor along the coast or in harbour. Dramatic portrayals of shipwrecks were also common. In time, demand grew for depictions of historical naval battles fought by many of the participating nations. This resulted in large, detailed battle paintings. Gradually, ordinary people also began to adorn their walls with maritime landscapes from coast and sea. Last but not least came the wishes of ship captains and shipping companies to have their vessels portrayed.