The artist Johan Erik Olsson (1865–1944), better known as Lim-Johan, is considered one of our foremost Swedish naïve artists. He was born in Hälsingland, the district in northern Sweden were the von Hallwyl family owned large tracts of forest and ran a sawmill business. The forest and surroundings in his hometown were a great inspiration for his well-known artworks. He achieves his major breakthrough only after his death; when his art is discovered by the philosophy doctor Philibert Humbla in the late 1940s. In the exhibition, visitors get to experience Lim-Johan's painting, woodcarving, and photography.

A true animal lover After his mental health deteriorated in his thirties, he was admitted to the psychiatric hospital Upsala Hospital Asylen for eight years. From that period, some wood carvings are preserved, such as the lying dog displayed in the exhibition. He was a true animal lover, and his artworks reflect the calm soul of domesticated animals.

His inner dream world After help from friends to leave the hospital, he was able to return to his hometown. In the beginning, after returning home, he moved around between different farms. After a while, he acquired a piece of land and was able to build his own cottage. There, Lim-Johan lived until the end of his life. It was in this little cottage that he created most of the paintings displayed in the exhibition. In the paintings, we get to experience his rich inner dream world.