Solitude 1880

Harriet Backer created this painting, Solitude, with oil on canvas sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It presents us with a somber scene: an elderly woman, perhaps a widow judging by her attire, sits alone in a sparsely furnished room. Backer was Norwegian, and the cultural context here is key. The late 19th century was a period of significant social change in Norway, with increasing urbanization and industrialization challenging traditional ways of life. Institutions like the family and the church played central roles. This painting, with its emphasis on the solitary figure, seems to comment on those changes. Is the woman a victim of social progress, left behind as the world moves on? Or is she a figure of quiet strength, finding solace in her own company? The picture hanging on the wall behind the woman seems to be a religious effigy, we can only guess at the comfort she may or may not draw from it. To fully understand a painting like this, we need to turn to social history. By researching the changing demographics of Norway at the turn of the century, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the social forces that may have shaped Backer's artistic vision.