Lemons in a bowl 

Here is ‘Lemons in a Bowl’ by Helene Schjerfbeck, painted at a time when still life was often relegated to a lesser status in the art world, associated with domesticity and therefore with women. Schjerfbeck, working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, lived through immense social change, including shifts in gender roles and expectations. This painting offers a space to consider the quiet power of everyday objects, transforming the mundane into something worthy of contemplation. The lemons, rendered in a strikingly modern and simplified style, challenge traditional notions of beauty and artistic subject matter. Think about this: can a simple bowl of lemons offer a glimpse into the experiences and perspectives of women artists navigating a male-dominated art world? It is in this light that Schjerfbeck’s lemons radiate with quiet defiance, a celebration of the ordinary, and a subtle but powerful act of claiming space.