Karin reading 1904

Carl Larsson made this watercolour, Karin reading, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. Look at the domesticity of it all! It feels so easy, yet there is a quiet labour in the application of colour to paper with such precision and care. The painting is bathed in warm, soft tones, with pops of red, yellow, and green that create a cosy atmosphere. Karin is totally engrossed in her book, her brow furrowed in concentration. What's she reading? What's she thinking? I can almost feel the weight of the blanket around her shoulders and imagine the scent of the flowers on the table. Larsson was part of a generation of artists who were turning away from academic painting and embracing a more intimate, personal style. The attention to the everyday and the focus on the interior lives of women is so striking. It reminds me of the paintings of Vilhelm Hammershøi, who also found beauty and drama in the quiet corners of domestic life. It’s like these artists are whispering secrets to each other across time, each adding their voice to an ongoing conversation about the power of art to capture the fleeting moments of human experience.