Christmas Tree in the Hall of Kilo Mansion 1919

Magnus Enckell made this painting of a Christmas tree in the hall of Kilo Mansion with oil on canvas. You can see the paint is applied in layers, but it's thin and transparent, not thick or opaque. It reminds me of Bonnard, actually. See how the light from the candles and decorations illuminates the shadowy forms of people gathered in the room? The texture is smooth, but you can make out the direction of the brushstrokes in the foreground, pulling you into the scene. The colors are muted greens, browns, and yellows, except for those spots of bright light in the tree. I’m drawn to the way Enckell captures the fleeting nature of a moment, the way light flickers and dances across surfaces, creating an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy. It’s less about the details and more about the feeling, which is what painting is all about, I think. Like Vuillard, Enckell invites us into a world of domesticity, where beauty and wonder can be found in the everyday.