Framed Etching, Sculpture Studio, Harald Sallberg (1895–1963)

Framed Etching, Sculpture Studio, Harald Sallberg (1895–1963)
Harald Sallberg (1895–1963)
Sculpture Studio, 1937
Etching
Signed and dated in pencil
Framed Measurements:
Height: 46.7 cm
Width: 56.8 cm
 
In Sculpture Studio, Sallberg presents a hushed interior suspended between observation and reverie. A lone figure stands at the centre of a sparse atelier, surrounded by plaster casts, fragments of classical sculpture and anatomical studies. Light enters through a high, gridded window, falling unevenly across the room and lending the scene a devotional stillness.
The composition is carefully constructed. Vertical walls and shelving enclose the space, while the figure’s slightly stooped posture draws attention to the act of looking, measuring, and contemplating form. Objects are rendered with meticulous line work, yet the overall atmosphere remains soft and introspective, achieved through dense cross-hatching and tonal restraint.
 
Created in 1937, the work reflects Sallberg’s interest in solitude, craftsmanship and the psychological weight of interior spaces. The studio is not depicted as a place of energetic production but as one of quiet concentration and accumulated time, where past ideals and present labour coexist. The etching exemplifies Sallberg’s ability to combine technical precision with a subdued emotional register, positioning the everyday working environment as a site of contemplation rather than display.