This gentle interior scene by Danish artist Poul Friis Nybo (1869-1929) depicts a lady examining a necklace by candlelight.
Nybo was a master of quiet interiors and thoughtful introspection. There’s a stillness amid the quiet tick of a grandfather clock and the flicker of a dwindling candle. Here, within this peaceful home, he probably sketched from a chair by a table. While she’s lost in the intricacies of a clasp, he’s absorbed by her partially-lit form.
Signed in the lower right and held in a gilt frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 20” x 23” / 51cm x 58cm
Year of creation: c. 1900
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £2,800
Poul Friis Nybo was a Danish painter of gentle interior scenes, landscapes and seascapes. His interiors are particularly interesting and capture a snapshot of everyday life. Many of these feature the same woman. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen before attending Kristian Zahrtmann's School and from 1892, he exhibited at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition.
Learn more about Poul Friis Nybo in our directory.
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.
