Lava at Bessastadir
1947 · Oil on canvas
29 5/8 x 37 5/8" (75.2 x 95.4 cm)
Museum of Modern Art
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Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval
Artist
Representation
None documented
1
Institutional Exhibitions
1
Works in Collection
4
Assets Indexed
0
Authority-backed Facts
0
Publications Referenced
80%
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No movements recorded
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Selected Institutional Exhibitions
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Recent Acquisitions
Museum of Modern Art, New York
1961–1962
About
Why this artist matters now
Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885, 1972) was an Icelandic painter who developed a distinctive approach to landscape rooted in the volcanic geology and Arctic light of his native country. Working primarily in oil and watercolor, he combined modernist abstraction with direct observation of Iceland's dramatic terrain, creating compositions that emphasized chromatic intensity and gestural mark-making. Kjarval became a central figure in twentieth-century Icelandic art, establishing a visual language that bridged European modernism and national identity.
Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 25d ago
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Canonical record
Artworks (1)
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Institutional
Representation & Collections
In collection
Museum of Modern Art
New York, US
Record