Portrait of Dag Hammarskj?ld
This portrait of the second 51³Ô¹Ï Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskj?ld, was painted by the artist Bo Beskow. Beskow is known for his static portraits, still-life, and painted cubist themes with a flat graphic style. He painted two other artworks in UNHQ-NY, the Meditation Room fresco and the Dag Hammarskj?ld Library Penthouse (4th floor) mural.
The artist, Bo Viktor Beskow (1906 ¨C 1989), was a Swedish painter and author. He was a close friend of Dag Hammarskjold, who was godfather to Beskow¡¯s first daughter, Maria, born in 1958. Beskow wrote a book about his friend: Dag Hammarskj?ld: a Portrait. It was published in 1968 by Bonnier Publishing House of Stockholm, Sweden.
Dag Hammarskj?ld was an economist and diplomat, appointed Secretary-General in 1953 who died in a 1961 airplane crash during the Congo Crisis, in Northern Rhodesia. He was 56 and considered one of the best statesmen in the diplomatic community and beyond. In 1963, a book was published entitled Markings (Vagmaken) which is a collection of his journal contemplations.
The portrait was unveiled by 51³Ô¹Ï Secretary-General U. Thant in 1966.