The collection of Kalmar konstmuseum consists of 3.340 artworks (2012). Some of the artworks are continuously on display in the museum or used for special exhibitions. Others are shown in public spaces around Kalmar County. The collection consists of donations and purchases, from 1917 when the Art Association was founded and onwards. Major donations have been made by Ivar Kreuger, the consul John Jeansson and Bessie Kreuger.

The collection of Kalmar konstmuseum is continuously being added to by new donations and purchases. The collection consists of three – partly overlapping – categories. These are Swedish romanticism and modernism, regional art of Kalmar County and contemporary art.

The collection that holds the Swedish romanticism and modernism reflects the artistic development during the 19th and the 20th century. This includes paintings by Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson. There is a focus on artists working in or having connections with Kalmar County and the region of Småland, for example artists such as Per Ekström and Vera Nilsson. Also worth mentioning is a large and important collection with drawings and sketches by Carl Wahlbom.

The regional collection consists of works from the 19th century featuring artists such as Carl Wahlbom, Per Ekström and Nils Kreuger but also works by artists active today for example Ivar Morsing and Raine Navin. The collection also holds works by international artists that moved to Kalmar, artists such as Lotte Larsenstein (1898-1993) and Josef Kowner (1895-1967). Especially worth mentioning is a large collection of paintings by Hans Sandén (1945-1989).

The contemporary Swedish collection consists of works by artists that are active today. In this collection there are artworks by Swedish artists such as Stig Sjölund, Alba Stefan Engström, Kristina Müntzig and Peter Frie. There is a focus on artists working in Kalmar County, artists like Magnus Persson and Hans Jörgen Johansen. In the collection there are also works by international artists such as Marina Naprushkina and Juan Castillo.

In addition to this Kalmar konstmuseum are the owners of one of the most important collections of Swedish design sketches, managed by Designarkivet – the archive for Swedish design. www.designarkivet.se

For more information regarding the collections of Kalmar konstmuseum, please contact Maiken Fohlin,
maiken.fohlin@kalmarkonstmuseum.se