Busacca Gallery

This is an authentic and rare signed print — an exciting discovery: a “model‑study” by a skilled artistic draftsman. Min Kone by Palle From is a wonderful, unusual abstraction of a nude woman, a life‑drawing, studio figure, and original etching fine-art print. Listed Artist: Palle From (Danish, 1935–1993) — Original Drypoint Etching Palle From was a Danish artist born in 1935. His works appear at auction periodically, with prices varying depending on rarity, condition, and subject matter. While his artworks have been offered at numerous auctions over the years, estimates and realized prices vary widely based on demand and quality. Today, few of his works circulate, making this documented piece an unusual discovery with potential future value as his recognition grows. There is no public record of many of his model‑studies or figure works. Although his oeuvre is described as including “portraits and model‑studies,” the publicly archived or auctioned works rarely (if ever) feature documented figure studies or nudes, making this work exceptionally rare. He primarily produced landscapes and reportage-style fine-art prints. Naturalistic but expressive style — the “trembling dark line.” From’s primary technique was cold‑needle drypoint etching, which his biography describes as creating “an intense, expressive naturalism,” often rendered with a “sitrende, mørk streg” (“trembling/dark line”). This combination of realism and expressive line conveys raw honesty — detailed representation without sentimentality, with emotional weight conveyed through stark, vivid line work. A restless, traveling artist in remote and dramatic places. From traveled extensively across Europe and spent extended periods on the Faroe Islands starting in 1965. The rugged landscapes, dramatic coastlines, and remote villages of the Faroe Islands appear repeatedly in his work, giving many of his pieces a moody, isolated atmosphere. Art-world recognition, but relative obscurity. From exhibited since the late 1950s and early 1960s, including in major exhibitions such as local Danish spring/fall shows. He received stipends from institutions like the Statens Kunstfond and Dronning Ingrids Romerske Fond, making him a “hidden gem” in the Danish art scene. Private sale and exhibition history may hold undiscovered works. Many mid‑20th-century Danish exhibitions, small galleries, and regional shows were poorly documented or digitized. It is possible that figure studies, nude works, or experimental prints from From’s career remain unknown to the public, residing in private collections or local archives. From the early 1960s onward, he reportedly carried both a sketchbook and a camera. For some subjects, he drew or etched directly (drypoint/cold-needle); for others, he used photography, especially for spontaneous or documentary-style scenes. He was a traditional studio artist who also responded directly to everyday life. A broad, socially aware range of subjects. While many auctioned works appear to be landscapes or everyday scenes (colony gardens, islands, harbors), his oeuvre also includes “portraits and model-studies, landscapes, and tavern scenes.” From had “a vigilant eye for distinguishing characteristics of a motive, united with social and unflinching empathy,” evident in photographs of people from society’s margins. His focus was on real life — ordinary people, marginal figures — not just idealized scenes. Because of his worldview, travels, and social observations, Palle From is of interest to collectors and historians of Scandinavian graphic and documentary art, beyond the print market. He represents exactly the kind of artist who is undervalued, under-documented, and potentially rich in hidden significance. His combination of: formal training and exhibited works broad subject matter (landscapes, people, social scenes, travel) dual medium (etching + photography) low public exposure makes his work compelling. A well-documented nude or figure study — like the one I own — is particularly rare and meaningful due to scarcity and historical obscurity.

This rare, signed drypoint etching by Palle From is a remarkable discovery—an authentic model-study from an artist whose figure works were almost never documented or publicly seen. Known for his “trembling dark line” and fiercely expressive naturalism, From (Danish, 1935–1993) built his reputation as a restless traveler and graphic artist, sketchbook and camera always in hand as he roamed Europe and the remote Faroe Islands, capturing ordinary people, rugged landscapes, and society’s overlooked figures with unflinching empathy. Though he exhibited widely in mid-century Denmark and earned recognition from national arts foundations, he remained a hidden gem—respected but under-archived, with many of his most intimate works lost to private collections or time. Most surviving prints are landscapes or documentary scenes, making a documented nude or studio figure study like this one extraordinarily scarce and historically important. It embodies everything that makes From compelling to collectors today: technical mastery, emotional intensity, rarity, and the mystery surrounding an artist whose life is known—but whose most personal works almost never surface.