This early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Poul Friis Nybo (1869-1929) depicts a woman sewing within a candlelit interior.
Nybo favoured the quiet moments of domestic introspection that would otherwise pass us by. Candles flicker alongside gilt-framed canvases, family porcelain glints atop mahogany furniture, light fingers focus on nimble handicrafts. It’s apparent that he painted those close to him as the same people appear in numerous works. For instance, this particular woman is also the subject of a painting from 1927. It’s possibly his wife, the singer Anna (Anita) Maria Christiani.
Signed in the lower right and framed.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 20” x 28” / 51cm x 71cm
Year of creation: c. 1925
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Two patched repairs. Old restorations. Slightly bowed. 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.
