La jolie Cueillette 1919 - 1920

Gerda Wegener made this delicate scene of fashionable figures amid foliage using gentle colours that lend it a fairy-tale feel. Imagine the artist at work here, patiently layering each translucent tone in the printing process. There is a subtle tension at play in this artwork. The scene is filled with a stylized medievalism but the approach is undeniably modern, with its clear lines and soft tones. Looking at it, I wonder if Wegener felt a similar tension within herself, pulled between tradition and the avant-garde. She manages to create a composition that breathes with life, inviting us to consider it from different angles. Ultimately, the work stands as a testament to the power of dialogue and cross-pollination. Artists like Wegener, through their exploration, enrich our understanding of what painting can be, encouraging us to embrace uncertainty and multiple perspectives in our own creative endeavours.