Kunstnerens Moder Frederikke Hammershøi 

Vilhelm Hammershøi painted this portrait of his mother, Frederikke Hammershøi, using oil. The somber palette and introspective mood invite us to consider symbols of mourning and memory. Notice the white head covering, a sartorial echo of earlier Northern Renaissance portraits, imbued with notions of purity and piety. This motif carries a historical weight, reminiscent of widows' veils, symbolizing loss and devotion. Compare this to the veiled figures in Van Eyck's paintings where veils signified not only marital status but also spiritual commitment. Across time, this motif has evolved. It appears in secular contexts, yet the psychological impact remains: a profound sense of introspection and quiet grief, tapping into our collective understanding of sorrow. It evokes the melancholic atmosphere of loss, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Like a recurring dream, the image of the veiled figure resurfaces across centuries, each iteration adding a layer to its complex narrative, forever oscillating between tradition and innovation.