Danish School, Interior Scene With Woman Reading

Danish School, Interior Scene With Woman Reading

A thought-provoking early 20th-century Danish interior scene depicting a young lady reading. She stands, with her arms by her side, and looks down towards three documents. The story is a mystery. Perhaps two of the documents are letters from a loved one. Has she just received news?

The room is situated at the top of a building and the light feels akin to a morning or evening glow. Paintings and miniatures scatter the walls.

Danish painters have a rich heritage for atmospheric interior scenes featuring women with their back turned. They exude a stillness and mystery that speaks of a humble existence, which lacks sentimentality.

A label on the reverse refers to the “dankske kunstneres bortlodning til fordel for forsvarsindsamlingen”, which translates as “Danish artists' lottery for the benefit of the defence fundraiser”. Another label is inscribed with a name - possibly Jan Mieleke.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 22½” x 27½” / 56cm x 70cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Provenance: Denmark
Condition: A little tatty and you’ll enjoy this piece if you prefer paintings that show their age. Craquelure but the paint layer is stable. A few scuffs here and there.

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

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