This rare and characterful drawing by the Swedish artist and illustrator Einar Nerman (1888–1983) captures a moment of camaraderie and artistic schooling in early 20th-century Paris. Dated 1910 and titled Matisse-Elever, the sheet caricatures a group of Scandinavian artists who studied under Henri Matisse at his private academy, the Académie Matisse. The composition is both affectionate and incisive, drawn in Nerman’s early signature style — a blend of theatrical elegance and pared-down line.

Featured are five of Matisse’s Nordic students;
Arthur Percy (1886–1976), a Swedish painter and designer who would go on to transform modern Swedish porcelain at Gefle Porslinsfabrik.
Gösta Sandels (1887–1919), a promising modernist whose life was tragically cut short by spanish flu but who left behind a sensitive, expressionist oeuvre.
Leander Engström (1886–1943), a key figure in Swedish modernism, celebrated for his dramatic landscapes and founding role in the “De Unga” movement.
Simon Simonsen (1848–1928), a Danish painter of an earlier generation, likely present in the Matisse circle as a senior peer or observer.
Isaac Grünewald (1889–1946), the most prominent of the group, who became a champion of Swedish modernism and colourism, and a major figure in the cultural debates of interwar Sweden.

Einar Nerman himself briefly studied with Matisse and maintained close ties with several of the artists portrayed here. His caricature sketches from this period offer rare insight into the social and intellectual atmosphere of Matisse’s studio, where international students were encouraged to experiment freely with form, colour, and the expressive line.

Drawings such as this are not only charming records of artistic friendship but also historical documents marking the spread of Fauvist and Modernist ideas from Paris to the Nordic countries. The influence of Matisse’s teachings would continue to resonate through the Scandinavian avant-garde for decades to come.