Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 10

Hugo Backmansson
Portrait of a Man from the Rif Region

1939

About the Item

This watercolour portrait by Finnish artist Hugo Backmansson depicts an Arab man from the Rif region of Morocco. Created during Backmansson’s journey to Morocco in 1939, the work captures the essence of the Rif's cultural and ethnic identity. The region, known for its rugged mountain landscapes and vibrant history, served as an inspiration for Backmansson, who often sought to document diverse cultures during his extensive travels. Backmansson was deeply influenced by his experiences in Morocco, visiting the country twice, first in 1907 and later in 1939. His earlier trip produced another significant work, Man from Marrakech (1909), which is part of the Ateneum Museum's collection in Finland (Inventory No. A-2010-154). This earlier piece and the current watercolour both reflect his fascination with Moroccan culture and his skill in capturing the individuality of his subjects. Born on April 14, 1860, in Pemar, Finland, Hugo Elias Backmansson initially pursued a military career, serving as an officer in the Russian army. After resigning in 1899, he fully dedicated himself to art. His formal art education began at Åbo Drawing School (1870–1873) and continued at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts (1894–1899). Renowned for his portraits, landscapes, and depictions of military life, Backmansson also served as a battle painter during the Russo-Japanese War and later as head of Russian battle painters during World War I. Backmansson's Moroccan works, including this portrait, are of great interest not only to art lovers but also to ethnologists and social anthropologists. His depictions of North African life intersect with the research of Finnish anthropologist Edvard Westermarck, who also explored Moroccan culture and society during this period. The artist is represented in numerous prestigious collections, including Åbo Akademi, the Amos Anderson Art Museum, the Ateneum Museum, the Gösta Serlachius Museum, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. watercolour on paper signed and dared H.Backmansson Rifarab 1939 unframed: 30.7 x 24 cm (12 1/8 x 9 1/2 in) framed: 40 x 34 cm (15 3/4 x 13 3/8 in) Provenance: A private collection in Finland.
  • Creator:
    Hugo Backmansson (1860 - 1953, Finnish)
  • Creation Year:
    1939
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)Width: 13.39 in (34 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Slightly waved paper. The new frame is from 2024 and has UV-protected anti-reflective art glass.
  • Gallery Location:
    Stockholm, SE
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1445215617562

More From This Seller

View All
The Fiddler's Dance, Stunning Watercolor by Swedish Artist Robert Högfeldt
Located in Stockholm, SE
We are delighted to offer a captivating watercolor painting by the artist Robert Högfeldt. This charming piece features a group of joyful figures, affectionately referred to as "gubb...
Category

Mid-20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Portrait of an Old Lady, 1886
Located in Stockholm, SE
This small and delicate watercolor is believed to depict Madame Papillon, a subject also portrayed by Hanna Pauli in an oil painting dated 1886. The portrait was created during the s...
Category

1880s Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Composition with Reading Girl by an Unknown Artist, Ink on Paper, Dated 1922
Located in Stockholm, SE
Unknown Swedish Artist Composition with Reading Girl inkl on paper indistinctly signed and dated Eric Eric SON? 1922 frame included
Category

1920s Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Paper

"Näspetus" from Zacharias Topelius book series "Reading for Children"
Located in Stockholm, SE
Here is a delicate ink drawing by the Swedish artist, J.A.G. Acke. Evoking a world of wonder straight from Zacharias Topelius' beloved book series "Reading for Children", this artwor...
Category

Early 20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

A Tailor Working at his Desk
Located in Stockholm, SE
Gerhard Ludwig Lahde (Bremen 1765–1833 Köpenhamn) A Tailor Working at his Desk Ink and wash on paper, mounted on a 19th-century backing inscribed “G. L. Lahde del.” unframed: 14.2 ...
Category

Early 19th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Portrait of Hulda in a Room at Ruds Säteri
Located in Stockholm, SE
Hilding Werner (1880-1944) Sweden Hulda in a Room at Ruds Säteri mixed media on paper unframed 27 x 22.5 cm (10.63 x 8.86 inches) framed 38 x 33.5 cm (14.96 x 13.19 inches) Prov...
Category

Early 20th Century Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Ink, Watercolor

You May Also Like

Shah Jahan in a shirt of mail and plate of armor. Rajasthani School, 19th cent.
Located in Middletown, NY
Ink and gouache with gold heightening on fibrous, brown laid paper with a Jaipur Court Fee tax stamp in black ink, 13 3/8 x 8 3/4 inches (340 x 222 mm). Toning, handling creases and ...
Category

19th Century Rajput Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gold

Shah Jahan taking tea with a concubine. Rajasthani School, 19th century
Located in Middletown, NY
Ink and gouache with gold heightening on brown laid paper with a Jaipur Court Fee tax stamp in black ink, 13 3/8 x 8 3/4 inches (340 x 222 mm). Toning, handling creases and minor sca...
Category

19th Century Rajput Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gold

Rajput Ragamala miniature of woman with bell&rattle. Rajasthani School, 19th C.
Located in Middletown, NY
Ink and gouache with gold heightening on fibrous, brown laid paper with a Jaipur Court Fee tax stamp in gray ink, and the 1889 Jaipur State Council stamp in black ink, 13 1/4 x 8 3/4 inches (335 x 222 mm). Toning, handling creases and minor scattered surface soiling throughout. There are scattered coeval Hindi inscriptions in ink on the recto. "A ragamala, translated from Sanskrit as "garland of ragas," is a series of paintings depicting a range of musical melodies known as ragas. Its root word, raga, means color, mood, and delight, and the depiction of these moods was a favored subject in later Indian court paintings...
Category

19th Century Rajput Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gold

St. John the Baptist in the wilderness , Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God)
By Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Il Guercino)
Located in Middletown, NY
Pen and sepia ink and wash on vellum, 8 7/8 x 10 1/2 inches (225 x 267 mm). In very good condition with some modern notations in pencil on the verso, minor cockling, and a 1-inch hor...
Category

Mid-17th Century Old Masters Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Vellum, Pencil

Nur Jahan seated with a painted spice jar. Rajasthani School, 19th cent.
Located in Middletown, NY
Ink and gouache with gold heightening on fibrous, brown laid paper with a Jaipur Court Fee tax stamp in purple ink, 13 3/8 x 8 3/4 inches (340 x 222 mm). Toning, handling creases and...
Category

19th Century Rajput Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gold

Three hunters; two with a spear and dagger... Rajasthani School, 19th century
Located in Middletown, NY
Ink and gouache with gold heightening on brown laid paper with a Jaipur Court Fee tax stamp in black ink, 12 5/8 x 8 9/16 inches (320 x 217 mm). Toning, handling creases and minor sc...
Category

19th Century Rajput Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gold

Recently Viewed

View All