Interior. Artificial Light 1909

Vilhelm Hammershøi painted this hushed interior, lit by candlelight, sometime before 1916. What's interesting to me is how he's working with a kind of non-palette, a very limited range of tones, almost like a black and white photograph, but with subtle warmth. The paint looks thin, almost like a stain, allowing the texture of the canvas to show through. It’s as if Hammershøi is interested in capturing a certain kind of light, or rather, the absence of it. Look at how the light from the candles barely illuminates the tabletop, and how the rest of the room fades into shadow. It's like he's painting the feeling of being alone in a quiet space, lost in your own thoughts. This reminds me a bit of James McNeill Whistler's nocturnes, paintings that also explore subtle tonal variations. But while Whistler is more atmospheric, Hammershøi feels more grounded, more focused on the quiet details of domestic life. Both artists are exploring ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own feelings and experiences to the work.