Portrait of August Malmström

August Malmström's Most Famous Paintings: All 34, Ranked

Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 34 works by August Malmström in our catalogue

In short

The August Malmström painting most people know is Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880), and you can see it at the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Right after it come Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884) and King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson (1880). Out of 34 works by August Malmström in our catalogue, these 34 are the best known. Each one comes with its year, its museum and a short note on what makes it stand out.

1829 – 1901, Västra Ny församling National romanticism Most works: Nationalmuseum
Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880) by August Malmström1. Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) 1880 Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884) by August Malmström2. Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) 1884 King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson (1880) by August Malmström3. King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson 1880

August Malmström's top 10: the pieces everyone knows

1
Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880) by August Malmström

Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga)

1880 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The air in the cavernous hall feels heavy, thick with the scent of damp stone and animal fur. A single, imposing figure breaks the stillness, standing tall against the gloom. He is draped in heavy pelts that catch the flickering light of the torches. To his right, a group of seated figures huddles around a table, their faces partially lost to the deep shadows. The light does not wash over…

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2
Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884) by August Malmström

Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga)

1884 · Oil · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The air inside the wooden chamber feels heavy, thick with the scent of old timber and the stillness of an ending. A man sits slumped, his body surrendering to a weight that no physical strength can lift. He is a figure of fading vitality, caught in the quiet gravity of his own passing. Around him, the shadows cling to the carved wall panels, retreating into the corners of the room.…

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3
King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson (1880) by August Malmström

King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson

1880 · Oil · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the scent of damp fur and old wood. Five men occupy a dim, rustic interior, their bodies arranged in a tight semi-circle that traps the viewer within their tension. A single, unseen light source from the left carves deep shadows into the hollows of their faces, highlighting the grit of their skin and the coarse texture of their garments. King Bele…

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4
Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd (1859) by August Malmström

Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd

1859 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the sudden weight of tragedy. A dim, rustic interior holds the three figures in a suffocating embrace of shadow and light. Ingeborg collapses, her body yielding to the crushing force of the news. She is the center of this storm, a woman caught in the instant where life as she knows it ends. An elderly man leans into her, his weathered…

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5
King Heimer and Aslög (1856) by August Malmström

King Heimer and Aslög

1856 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The sun hangs low, casting a heavy, amber glow across a quiet meadow. In this soft light, an elderly man sits with a long, white beard that catches the fading warmth. He wears a dark tunic and a red cap, his fingers poised over the strings of a large, ornate golden harp. Beside him, a young girl rests against the earth. She is dressed in simple white, her presence a…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $200 29 × 35 cm Same size as the original $526 102 × 119 cm Order at original size →
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6
The Reconciliation (1880) by August Malmström

The Reconciliation

1880 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The work is an example of academic realism, a style that emphasizes precise representation and technical skill. The subject matter suggests a moment of historical or mythological significance, characterized by a sense of gravity and solemnity. The composition uses strong lines to guide the eye from the foreground figure upward toward the imposing statue, creating a vertical movement within the frame. The atmosphere is heavy, shaped by the interplay of…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $525 27 × 37 cm Same size as the original $696 70 × 97 cm Order at original size →
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7
Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884) by August Malmström

Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga)

1884 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the scent of old wood and the unspoken weight of a strategic game. Three men occupy a dimly lit, rustic interior, their figures arranged in a tight, triangular composition that pulls the eye toward the center of the struggle. Two men sit at a small table, their faces illuminated by a soft, low-key light that seems to bleed in from an…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $225 26 × 38 cm Same size as the original $395 68 × 99 cm Order at original size →
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8
Hallgerd’s Slap (1895) by August Malmström

Hallgerd’s Slap

1895 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

In this somber scene from 1895, we find ourselves within a dimly lit, rustic interior that feels heavy with the weight of history. The composition centers on a woman caught in a moment of intense emotional outburst, her head tilted back as she asserts herself against the tension of the room. To her side, a large, bearded man reacts to her sudden movement, his posture taut and unyielding. The atmosphere…

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9
Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians (1853) by August Malmström

Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians

1853 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians is a painting by the Swedish artist August Malmström. Created about 1853, this work depicts a scene from Greek mythology within an interior setting. The composition focuses on the interaction between a kneeling man and a seated royal figure alongside a woman. The scene is rendered with precise brushwork and realistic anatomical proportions, characteristic of the Neoclassical and Academic styles of the mid-19th…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $400 35 × 29 cm Same size as the original $517 77 × 65 cm Order at original size →
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Keep exploring August Malmström: 11 to 34

11Frithiof Goes Into Exile (1884) by August MalmströmFrithiof Goes Into Exile1884 · Nationalmuseum Get it hand-painted from $200 →
12Balders bål (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884) by August MalmströmBalders bål (ur Frithiofs saga)1884 · Nationalmuseum Make it yours from $600 →
13Frithiof's Return (1880) by August MalmströmFrithiof's Return1880 · Nationalmuseum Get it hand-painted from $175 →
14Ingeborg's Lament (1880) by August MalmströmIngeborg's Lament1880 · Nationalmuseum Make it yours from $175 →
15Farewell (1880) by August MalmströmFarewell1880 · Nationalmuseum Order this piece from $200 →
16Frithiof's Courtship (1880) by August MalmströmFrithiof's Courtship1880 · Nationalmuseum Order this piece from $675 →
17Frithiof and Ingeborg (1880) by August MalmströmFrithiof and Ingeborg1880 · Nationalmuseum Get it hand-painted from $200 →
18Illustration for Njal’s Saga (1897) by August MalmströmIllustration for Njal’s Saga1897 · Nationalmuseum Make it yours from $350 →
19Illustration for Njal’s Saga (1895) by August MalmströmIllustration for Njal’s Saga1895 · Nationalmuseum Make it yours from $275 →
20Njal, Bergthora and Thord Karisson Decide to be Burned Alive. Illustration for Njal’s Saga, ch. 129 (1895) by August MalmströmNjal, Bergthora and Thord Karisson Decide to be Burned Alive. Illustration for Njal’s Saga, ch. 1291895 · Nationalmuseum Get it hand-painted from $225 →
21A modern Blenda (1901) by August MalmströmA modern Blenda1901 Make it yours from $275 →
22Frithiofs lycka (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880) by August MalmströmFrithiofs lycka (ur Frithiofs saga)1880 · Nationalmuseum Get it hand-painted from $175 →
23Title in Swedish: Älvalek (1866) by August MalmströmTitle in Swedish: Älvalek1866 · Nationalmuseum Order this piece from $175 →
24The Ride of the Valkyries. Study for The Battle of Bråvalla (1859) by August MalmströmThe Ride of the Valkyries. Study for The Battle of Bråvalla1859 · Nationalmuseum Make it yours from $175 →
25The Horse-Fight at Hlidarendi (1897) by August MalmströmThe Horse-Fight at Hlidarendi1897 · Nationalmuseum Make it yours from $175 →
26Elf by August MalmströmElfFinnish National Gallery Order this piece from $175 →
27Weaving Vadmal by August MalmströmWeaving Vadmal Make it yours from $575 →
28The Game by August MalmströmThe GameNationalmuseum Make it yours from $475 →
29The Tell-Tale by August MalmströmThe Tell-TaleNationalmuseum Get it hand-painted from $350 →
30Tobias healing his blind father's eyes by August MalmströmTobias healing his blind father's eyes Order this piece from $225 →
31The Battle of Bråvalla. Study by August MalmströmThe Battle of Bråvalla. StudyNationalmuseum Make it yours from $175 →
32The old and the young Sweden (1894) by August MalmströmThe old and the young Sweden1894 Make it yours from $525 →
33The Battle of Bråvalla (1862) by August MalmströmThe Battle of Bråvalla1862 Make it yours from $450 →
34Grindslanten (1885) by August MalmströmGrindslanten1885 Make it yours from $300 →

August Malmström's paintings, period by period

Early Period

1853 – 1859 · 4 works in this list
Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd (1859), August Malmström #4 Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd 1859 · Nationalmuseum King Heimer and Aslög (1856), August Malmström #5 King Heimer and Aslög 1856 · Nationalmuseum Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians (1853), August Malmström #9 Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians 1853 · Nationalmuseum The Ride of the Valkyries. Study for The Battle of Bråvalla (1859), August Malmström #24 The Ride of the Valkyries. Study for The Battle of Bråvalla 1859 · Nationalmuseum

Mature Period

1866 – 1895 · 16 works in this list
Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880), August Malmström #1 Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) 1880 · Nationalmuseum Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884), August Malmström #2 Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) 1884 · Nationalmuseum King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson (1880), August Malmström #3 King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson 1880 · Nationalmuseum The Reconciliation (1880), August Malmström #6 The Reconciliation 1880 · Nationalmuseum Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884), August Malmström #7 Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga) 1884 · Nationalmuseum

Late Period

1895 – 1901 · 4 works in this list
Illustration for Njal’s Saga (1897), August Malmström #18 Illustration for Njal’s Saga 1897 · Nationalmuseum Illustration for Njal’s Saga (1895), August Malmström #19 Illustration for Njal’s Saga 1895 · Nationalmuseum Njal, Bergthora and Thord Karisson Decide to be Burned Alive. Illustration for Njal’s Saga, ch. 129 (1895), August Malmström #20 Njal, Bergthora and Thord Karisson Decide to be Burned Alive. Illustration for Njal’s Saga, ch. 129 1895 · Nationalmuseum A modern Blenda (1901), August Malmström #21 A modern Blenda 1901

What August Malmström painted most

The four subjects that come up most often in these pieces, each with its best-known example.

Man 10 works

Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884), August Malmström #2 Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) 1884 · Nationalmuseum Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd (1859), August Malmström #4 Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd 1859 · Nationalmuseum King Heimer and Aslög (1856), August Malmström #5 King Heimer and Aslög 1856 · Nationalmuseum Hallgerd’s Slap (1895), August Malmström #8 Hallgerd’s Slap 1895 · Nationalmuseum

Woman 9 works

Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians (1853), August Malmström #9 Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians 1853 · Nationalmuseum Ingeborg's Lament (1880), August Malmström #14 Ingeborg's Lament 1880 · Nationalmuseum Farewell (1880), August Malmström #15 Farewell 1880 · Nationalmuseum Frithiof and Ingeborg (1880), August Malmström #17 Frithiof and Ingeborg 1880 · Nationalmuseum

People 7 works

Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880), August Malmström #1 Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) 1880 · Nationalmuseum King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson (1880), August Malmström #3 King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson 1880 · Nationalmuseum The Reconciliation (1880), August Malmström #6 The Reconciliation 1880 · Nationalmuseum The Temptation of Frithiof (1880), August Malmström #10 The Temptation of Frithiof 1880 · Nationalmuseum

Shadows 6 works

Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884), August Malmström #7 Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga) 1884 · Nationalmuseum Njal, Bergthora and Thord Karisson Decide to be Burned Alive. Illustration for Njal’s Saga, ch. 129 (1895), August Malmström #20 Njal, Bergthora and Thord Karisson Decide to be Burned Alive. Illustration for Njal’s Saga, ch. 129 1895 · Nationalmuseum Frithiofs lycka (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880), August Malmström #22 Frithiofs lycka (ur Frithiofs saga) 1880 · Nationalmuseum Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884), August Malmström #2 Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) 1884 · Nationalmuseum

Where you can see August Malmström's paintings

The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by August Malmström Paintings from this list
Nationalmuseum, StockholmNationalmuseum Stockholm 27 Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga), Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga), King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson
Finnish National Gallery, HelsinkiFinnish National Gallery Helsinki 1 Elf

One famous August Malmström piece for every decade

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see its standout piece.

August Malmström paintings: what people want to know

What painting is August Malmström best known for?See the answer

Top of the list is Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) (1880), Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Right behind it: Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) (1884) and King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson (1880).

How old was August Malmström at the time of Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga)?See the answer

51 years old. August Malmström was born in 1829, and Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) dates from 1880.

Which 10 August Malmström paintings are the most famous?See the answer

Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga), Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga), King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson, Ingeborg Receiving News of Hjalmar's Death from Orvar Odd, King Heimer and Aslög, The Reconciliation, Frithiof spelar schack (ur Frithiofs saga), Hallgerd’s Slap, Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians and The Temptation of Frithiof. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.

How many August Malmström works are there?See the answer

We have 34 works by August Malmström in our catalogue, dated 1853 to 1901.

Which museums have August Malmström's best-known paintings?See the answer

You'll find most of them in Nationalmuseum (Stockholm) and Finnish National Gallery (Helsinki). The museum list above has the full breakdown.

When were August Malmström's most famous pieces painted?See the answer

In 1880s, more than any other time: 15 of the 34 pieces on this page date from then, Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga) among them.

What are the oldest and newest famous paintings by August Malmström?See the answer

The earliest piece here is Odysseus before Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians (1853); the most recent is A modern Blenda (1901).

What did August Malmström paint most?See the answer

Man (10), Woman (9) and People (7), out of the 34 pieces on this page.

What did August Malmström usually paint with?See the answer

Oil On Canvas, used in 18 of the 34 pieces on this page.

Which art movement is August Malmström linked to?See the answer

National romanticism, as you can see in the pieces on this page.

What can you see by August Malmström at the Nationalmuseum?See the answer

You can see 27 of the pieces on this page at the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, including Frithiof kommer till Kung Ring (ur Frithiofs saga), Kung Rings död (ur Frithiofs saga) and King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson.

Can I order a August Malmström reproduction for my home?See the answer

Yes. Every painting on this page is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print, in the size that suits you. Just open the painting's page to order.

Meet August Malmström

early life and influences

johan august malmström, a swedish painter, was born in motala, sweden in 1829. he died in stockholm, sweden in 1901. malmström's work is characterized by its national romanticism, often featuring children and motifs from norse mythology.

artistic style and notable works

malmström's most widely recognized work is grindslanten (1885), a painting that showcases his unique blend of romanticism and folkloric elements. his style, influenced by gothicismus, sets him apart from other swedish painters of his time.

illustrations and academic career

malmström made illustrations for publications of both frithiofs saga and the tales of ensign stål. he served as a professor at the royal swedish academy of arts and later as its manager. additionally, malmström worked as an illustrator for several newspapers and book publishing houses, and designed furniture and porcelain for gustavsberg.

legacy and available works

malmström's work can be found in various museums and collections, including the nationalmuseum (stockholm, sweden). some of his notable paintings, such as älvalek (490 x 900 cm, oil on canvas), are available for viewing on ArtsDot.com. his legacy continues to inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike. key works: * grindslanten (1885) * älvalek (490 x 900 cm, oil on canvas) * illustrations for frithiofs saga and the tales of ensign stål museums and collections: * nationalmuseum (stockholm, sweden) * royal swedish academy of arts
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