John-E Franzén

John-Erik Roland Franzén, also known as John E. Franzén or John-E Franzén, born June 30, 1942 in Stockholm, died in October 2022.

He was a Swedish painter and graphic artist who became known for his photorealistic paintings of motorcycles, American cars, urban environments and portraits. Franzén often used photographs as models for his artworks. In 1984, he was assigned by the royal court the task of creating an official portrait of the Swedish royal family. The painting was unveiled at Gripsholm Castle in 1985.

The surprising choice of John-Erik Franzén as an artist can be linked to one of his most famous paintings, "Hells Angels of California, United States of America," in which he depicted a party with the motorcycle club of California. The painting is owned by the Modern Museum in Stockholm. The royal family chose Franzén after seeing a portrait of the artist's son in ice hockey gear.

Franzén left a significant mark in the art world through his ability to create realistic and detailed depictions of various subjects.

TRAINING

Kunstfack in Stockholm
Royal Academy of Arts

OTHER

Between the years 1988 and 1995, John-Erik Franzén was professor of painting at the Royal Academy of Arts in Stockholm and he has been a member of the Royal Academy of Liberal Arts since 1989. Franzén is represented at, among others, the Modern Museum , the Gothenburg Art Museum , the Kalmar Art Museum and the National Museum in Stockholm .