Today on Museum Bites we’re staying inside and reflecting on Interior with a Lady (1901) by Danish artist, Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916). Simple and serene, Hammershøi invites us into his quiet, cozy home. Let’s step over the threshold and take a brief tour…
Interior with a Lady (1901) by Vilhelm Hammershøi, Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA)
Hammershøi is best known for his paintings of his Copenhagen apartment. Interior with a Lady, features a shadowy, sparsely furnished room. On the left is Ida, Hammershøi’s wife. Her head is slightly bowed as she concentrates on her sewing.
Interior with a Lady (closeup of Ida; 1901) by V. Hammershøi, DIA
Ida’s only source of light is the sun streaming through the window. The view outside is bland and blurry, but inside the windowpanes shimmer, and the floor and crisp white curtains are bathed in bright light. On the right a closed white door also glows in the sun’s warmth.
Interior with a Lady (closeup of window & door; 1901) by V. Hammershøi, DIA
Note the sharp contrast between Ida in the shadows, and the sunlit window, curtains and door. These features are in full view, while Ida, the only person in the room, is placed in a dark corner, behind a table. It’s as if she is meant to be part of the décor.
I have always thought there was such beauty about a room
even though there weren’t any people in it,
perhaps precisely when there weren’t any.
~Vilhelm Hammershøi
Hammershøi often did not include people in his paintings, but when he did, they rarely look out at the viewer. His minimalist style also provides few, if any, visual clues to indicate a figure’s profession, status, or wealth. Let’s compare this to another apartment scene recently featured on Museum Bites (click on this Museum Bites: The Red Chaperon link to learn more). The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) by Jan van Eyck, blatantly broadcasts the Arnolfini’s wealth and status. Richly dressed, the couple stand front and center amid an apartment chocked full of items signifying their good fortune.
Left: Arnolfini Portrait (1434) by Jan van Eyck, National Gallery London
Right: Interior with Ida in a White Chair (1900) by V. Hammershøi, DIA
Hammershøi’s art is the antithesis of the I-have-more-toys-than-you type of painting. It is not about showing off the people or their possessions. Instead, his art is about creating a mood. Interior with a Lady provides us with a glimpse of the Hammershøis’ tranquil homelife. A peaceful refuge from the hustle and bustle of Copenhagen. It’s Hammershøi’s version of hygge.
Self-Portrait (1895) by V. Hammershøi, Wikimedia
Quiet, unassuming, and most likely an introvert, Hammershøi’s paintings appear to be a reflection of his personality. His asymmetric compositions, gray palette, and minimalist settings were unique for his time. Initially his work was panned for being too blah and too blurry, but Hammershøi pressed on, encouraged by his fellow painters.
I have a student who paints in a very strange way. I don’t understand him.
I think he’ll become important. I try not to influence him.
~ Peder Severin Krøyer (1851-1909)
The Garden Room on Frederiksberg Allé (1887)
by V. Hammershøi, Staten Museum for Kunst
Influenced by Johannes Vermeer’s domestic settings, Hammershøi also idolized his American-born contemporary, James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903). He even painted his own version of Whistler’s most famous artwork.
Left: Anna McNeill Whistler (mother of James;1871) by James McNeill Whistler, Musée D’Orsay
Right: Frederikke Hammershøi (mother of Vilhelm;1886) by V. Hammershøi, Wikimedia
In addition to painting, Hammershøi also took an interest in photography. The slightly out of focus, sepia-toned images produced by early 20th century cameras may have also had an impact on Hammershøi’s art.
Vilhelm & Ida Hammershøi, at their Strandgade 30
Copenhagen apartment (1907) by H.I. Sørensen
In his later years, Hammershøi moved his easel outside so he could create peaceful exterior scenes.
Asiatisk Kompagni Buildings, Copenhagen (1902)
by V. Hammershøi, Staten Museum for Kunst
In 1914, Hammershøi contracted throat cancer. He died in Copenhagen two years later at the age of 51. His last painting was of Ida sewing in their apartment. If you’d like to see more of Hammershøi’s artwork, click on this Staten Museum for Kunst: Vilhelm Hammershøi Digital Archive link.
Self-Portrait (1914) by V. Hammershøi
National History Museum Frederiksborg
Arty Facts
- While on a trip to London, Hammershøi stopped by Whistler’s studio on several occasions hoping to meet his idol. Alas, they never met.
- Hygge according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is, “a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable”.
- The main characters’ apartment in the 2015 film, The Danish Girl was influenced by Hammershøi’s paintings of his and Ida’s apartment.
That concludes our look at Vilhelm Hammershøi’s, Interior with a Lady. I’ll be back next week with more Museum Bites. In the meantime, be safe, be kind, and take care😊
Sources:
Detroit Institute of Arts: Interior with a Lady (1901)
Friends of Kenwood Sunday Lecture: Hammershøi and the Life of Interiors by Kathy McLauchlan
Google Arts & Culture: Vilhelm Hammershøi
Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Hygge
Scandinavia Standard: Better Know a Dane Artist Vilhelm Hammershøi
Staten Museum for Kunst: Vilhelm Hammershøi
Staten Museum for Kunst: Vilhelm Hammershøi Digital Archive
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