Carl Larsson Karin Peeling Rhubarb Fine Art Print

A study in the grace and beauty of simple things, here we have the artist's wife Karin performing a humble task, peeling rhubarb from the garden. Description: Karin, dressed in one of her signature "loose" frocks, sits in a graceful pose on a simple low wooden chair. Her white apron and the red chair create pleasing patterns against the black of her dress. Her face is obscured by her elegant straw garden hat which is adorned with a black bow and a red-and-black hat pin. At her feet is a simple pottery bowl holding stalks of rhubarb she has already peeled, and to her right, a glass jar filled with sliced rhubarb. Behind the bowl stand three more glass jars waiting to be filled, and in the foreground more rhubarb, fresh from the garden. It appears she has curiously chosen to perform this task in the artist's studio, as enormous sketches hang on the wall behind her and she is seated beside a green wooden pedestal which holds a statue. The point of view is low, and we only see the lower portions of the sketches which suggest a Biblical scene and the bare feet of the statue. As for the statue, the simple brown clothing and bare feet suggest a saint or at least saintliness. Someone, perhaps Karin herself, has placed a flowering cactus on the pedestal -- whether in honour of the unseen saint or simply to enjoy its beauty at eye level, or both, we are left to guess. At the upper left we see a closed wooden door, heavily panelled, with ornate black ironwork, the type of door which would lead to the outside. Together with the hat which obscures Karin's face, this hints at her desire for a private moment. In Carl Larsson's later works, especially, we often get a sense of time as juxtaposed against the eternal, as well as a suggestion that an environment rich in art brings the beauty of the here-and-now, of simple everyday life, into focus and allows us to truly see it. The heart motif on the door latch and Karin's contemplative aspect suggest a "pondering in the heart" and here she is dressed in black. By the time this was painted, the Larssons had lost two sons, tiny Mats who lived only two months and Ulf who died at 18. Perhaps Karin is remembering her lost sons, pondering things eternal, while preparing food for the six children who are still with her. Life goes on, the garden yields its bounty, the empty jars stand waiting to be filled. Still, she remembers and holds them in her heart, even as her hands work to provide for the earthly nourishment of the still living. This print is intended for matting and framing or may be hung as a poster. The white border makes the mounting and matting process easier if you plan on framing it. If you prefer a bleed poster (no white border), a borderless version is available in my gallery's Art of Carl Larsson Collection. The default setting here is for the "basic" paper option. Do try out the other paper options and choose the one which suits your taste and budget. The papers with UV protection will give you a longer lasting print, one you can hand down in the family, and I would certainly recommend this option if you plan to hang the print in a sunny location. I would not choose the canvas option myself, as it is not in keeping with this print (the original being watercolour on paper, not oil on canvas). About the original work of art: Artist: Carl Larsson Title: Karin Peeling Rhubarb Date: 1911 Medium: Watercolor About the artist:Carl Larsson, (b Stockholm, 28 May 1853; d Falun, 22 Jan. 1919) was a Swedish painter, illustrator, printmaker, and writer. His work included numerous portraits and book illustrations, as well as several large murals (the best known are those on Sweden's artistic history in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 1896). Sweden's most beloved artist, he is now remembered mainly for his watercolors of the idyllic life he enjoyed in his now-famous house in the village of Sundborn with his wife Karin and their eight children. In the words of a contemporary critic, "these are altogether charming -- spirited, vivid, original and full of an indescribable freshness and heartiness." This artwork was lovingly prepared for print by a professional graphic artist. This is an ultra-high-resolution file and will print beautifully even at the larger sizes. I have carefully corrected the "haze build up" (the smoke, grease and dust which eventually dulls the orignal artwork) in the manner of an art conservationist (but using digital means and state-of-the-art software) while retaining the charming patina of age. I have also carefully removed stains and fly specks here and there and stray marks incurred after it left the artist's hands, but left the artist's original pencil marks and tiny ink dots alone, as they are part of the original charm of the painting.