This early 20th-century oil on canvas by Danish artist Frode Kierulf (1889-1963) depicts a woman wearing an artist’s smock within a studio interior.

She’s partially illuminated via a skylight.

Given the nature of the work, there’s been some debate about whether the figure is actually the artist himself but it does appear to be a woman. His wife, Elvira, is not known as a painter, so it’s possibly another artist within his circle. He enjoyed a wide circle of friends within the arts and his brother, Hans, was an opera singer.

Kierulf trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen with Otto Bache and Viggo Johansen. Aside from oil paintings, he also produced many illustrations for short stories and novels. He’s represented at The Bornholm Art Museum.

Signed on the reverse.

Learn more about Frode Kierulf in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 20” x 17” / 51cm x 43cm
Year of creation: c. 1915
Condition: Artwork presents well. Canvas relined.
Artist’s auction highlight: £1,170 achieved for an oil painting in 2010.