According to reports, the seller was close to disposing of the piece of furniture, unaware of its art-historical value. Instead, the cabinet came to Stockholms Auktionsverk, where specialists quickly identified it as an unusual and significant work from the turn of the last century.

The cabinet, which measures nearly 2.3 metres in height, is adorned with doors featuring standing female figures and flowers, as well as sides decorated with floral patterns. The women represent two stages of life and symbolise the cycle of life, while the organic lines and asymmetry in the design give the piece an almost living character.

“It is extremely rare to see a Norwegian Art Nouveau cabinet at auction, and now we have received one created by their great artist and sculptor Valentin Kielland, dated 1902. It is a fantastic opportunity,” says Ulrika Ruding, Head of the Design Department at Stockholms Auktionsverk.

Similar cabinets are today primarily found in museums, including the National Museum in Oslo and the Jugend Museum in Ålesund, which further underlines the significance of the work.

Ulrika Ruding highlights the cabinet’s cultural weight, its local and international influences – and its possible future.

“You can see traces of the Norwegian soil, Kielland’s studies in Paris, and the inspiration from his friend Edvard Munch. The result is an expression that is both strongly personal and innovative for its time.

“A cabinet of this calibre would be wonderful to see remain here in the Nordic region, and ideally return home to Norway. Its imagery reflects female emancipation and playfulness – while also echoing Kielland’s own fascinating life story. He is said, among other things, to have had ten children, despite never marrying.”

The catalogue for The Design Sale will be published on Thursday April 16, and the viewing opens on Friday April 17 at Nybrogatan 32, continuing until the auction on April 28.

Read more about The Design Sale here ›