During the past few weeks, Sophia and Olivia have been looking at the artwork by Carl Larsson as part of their homeschooling. We focused on the six paintings that Mr. Larsson did. The girls each looked at one picture at a time for a while and then shared what they remembered about each one.
Background
Larsson was born in Stockholm. His parents were extremely poor, and his childhood was not happy. Carl's strong artistic talent began early in life. When he was 13 years old, his teacher at the school for the poor persuaded him to apply for enrollment at Principskolan, the preparatory department of the Royal Art Academy.
Larsson's endlessly working mother provided for his and his siblings' everyday needs through her job as a laundress. His artistic talent was most likely inherited from his grandfather on his mother's side, who was a painter by trade.
After several years working as an illustrator of books, magazines, and newspapers, Larsson moved to Paris in 1877, where he spent several frustrating years as a hardworking artist without any success.
After spending two summers in Barbizon, the refuge of the plein-air painters, he settled down with his Swedish painter colleagues in 1882 in Grez-sur-Loing, at a Scandinavian artists' colony outside Paris. It was there that he met the artist Karin Bergöö, who soon became his wife.
This was to be a turning point in Larsson's life. In Grez, Larsson painted some of his most important works, now in watercolor and very different from the oil painting technique he previously used.
Carl and Karin Larsson had eight children and his family became Larsson's favorite models. Many of his watercolors are now popular all over the world. Their eight children included Suzanne (1884), Ulf (1887, who died at 18), Pontus (1888), Lisbeth (1891), Brita (1893), Mats (1894, who died at 2 months), Kersti (1896) and Esbjörn (1900).
Note About Descriptions
Sophia could have kept going on with her descriptions and what she could recall. Last year, she was able to recall quite a few details about the pictures. This year, her ability to recall even more details - and want to continue sharing them - has greatly improved!
Olivia continues to recall many details about each of the pictures and it seems to be getting easier for her as well.
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Karin's Name Day, 1894
Sophia Remembered:
=> There are five people in the room, three of them are standing in a semi-circle around the bed.
=> The first person is dressed in a white dress. She has long hair and a crown of flowers that are a mix like lilies and yellow roses,and some leaves. She's holding lily pads and the flowers are sort of wrapped around her.
=> The second girl is a little behind and to her left. She's dressed the same, except she has darker hair.
=> To the left of her is a man in a white robe and he has white hair and a long white beard.In his right hand, he's carrying one of the flowers and a lily pad; and with his left hand he's holding a white scroll across his chest.
=> They area all looking at another girl who is laying on her side and looking at them. She's in a blue bedstead with white blankets.
=> On her legs is a breakfast tray with some more of the flowers. She also has brown hair that is a little wavy, and she's looking up at the many in white.
=> Behind her is a younger girl in a green bedstead with lighter brown hair and an interested expression.
=> Behind the two girls is a big window and underneath it is a dresser.
Olivia Remembered:
=> There are three women or four women, but I don't know about the one with the beard.
=> There's one child.
=> There's a blue and green bed.
=> The three women are angry looking - they are frowning. They have lilies and lily pads.
=> The woman in the bed has lilies,a try with a tea cup, tea post,and food.
=> There's a red and white curtain in the back.
=> All the people are wearing white dresses or nightgowns.
=> There's a window above the little girl's bed and you can see the blue sky and some trees win it.
-> There's a window above the little girl's bed and you can see the blue sky and some trees in it.
=> There's another window behind the three people who are standing up.
=> The floor is wood.
=>On the white walls, there are yellow pattern on it near the ceiling.
=> The man is holding a scroll with both hands.
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Old Anna, 1895.
Sophia Remembered:
=> There are two rooms. The first floor has a big wooden stove on the right hand side.
=> In the chimney area, there's a vase of flowers.
=> To the left of that there are three chairs that are a reddish color. Next to that there's a red door that's open.
=> To the left of the door, is another red chair and above the one red chair, there is a shelf and on the shelf are four serving plates, a teapot of some sort, and above that is a decorative plate that has ferns on it.
=> Above the three chairs there's another little ledge with three silver plates, 2 casserole dishes, and above that a decorative plate with a rooster on it.
=> In the second room, you can't see all of it, but the back has a couple of plates and to the left and down, a vial with a round bottom.
=> In front of the dishes, there is a lady who's scrubbing a dish. She has a rather stern expression and has brown hair that's braided into a loop.
=> She's wearing a blue and white blouse, a grayish-white skirt and white apron. There are the feet of a child and the child has black shoes, and red and gray stockings.
Olivia Remembered:
=> There are 14 plates.
=> There are two trays.
=>The walls are kind of green in the main room.
=> The kitchen is a pale-ish color
=> The doorway has one pairs of feet dangling...so there's a child.
=> There's a wooden stove and on top there's a vase of flowers.
=> There are three chairs and behind them is a round thing that I think is a table.
=>On the wall behind the table and chairs, there is a plate with a rooster on it.
=> There's one person that I can see - a woman.
=>The woman has an apron over a blue and white dress. Her hair is pulled up a bun.
=> here's
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Kersti with Cat in the Flower Bed, about 1900
Sophia Remembered:
=> There is a wide dirt path and on the left side there is some grass.
=> Standing next to the grass on the dirt road is a little girl wearing brown shoes, black and gray stockings, and a dark grayish dress with long sleeves that are gray and sort of a dark black color.
=> She has dark blond hair that is long and a black beret on her head.
=>She has a smile on her face as she's eating the piece of bread.
=> At her feet on the grass is a black and white cat who is bent over sniffing the grass. You can't see its face.
=> To the right of the girl is a tall, green picket fence. Connected to the fence is a red house with two windows that have white curtains.
=> In the first window, there are pots filled with green leaves and red flowers.
=> In the second window, there are more pots with green leaves.
=> Behind the girl, under the window, is a flower garden surrounded by gray rocks.
=> In the garden, there are green stems, red flowers, yellow sunflowers, and little blue flowers.
Olivia Remembered:
=> There is a black and white cat.
=> There is a little girls who is holding a piece of bread. She's wearing black and white stockings, a black dress, a black cap, and brown shoes.
=> There's a shed behind her that is the color of rust.
=> There's a green gate.
=> There's a flower bed behind the girl and in front of the shed.
=> There are pansies - or some kind of flowers. They're darkish color - black in the picture. There were sunflowers and red flowers.
=> The shed has two windows. In one window there is shrubbery. In the other window there are red flowers.
=> It is sunny out. The sky is blue. I don't see a lot of the sky.
=> There's dirt, grass, and rocks on the ground.
=> The shed is made out of metal.
=> The cat is out in the open.
=> The girl has auburn color hair.
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Interior with Cactus, 1914.
Sophia Remembered:
=> There is a window with white shutters to the far left.
=> Underneath the window is a small white table and on the table is a wooden bowl or pitcher. Next to that is a woven basket. In the basket, it looks like there are brightly-colored clothes.
=> On thew all to the left of the window is a cabinet but it's off the ground. In the center of it are two pictures that are made out of wood.
=> Next to that is a picture with a white design in the center and under it is a nail with a rifle. Under that is a blue chair and next to that is a white chair and there's another white chair with a girl sitting on it.
=> The girl has yellow hair and it is braided down her back with a blue ribbon.
=> She's wearing a dress that's the same color as the ribbon.
=> She is wearing a white apron and white lacy collar.
=> Next to the girl is a big round table with a white table runner down the center.
=> On the table runner is a plate.
=> On the plate is a brown flower planter that has tall pink flowers and a stick on the side to hold up the flowers.
Olivia Remembered:
=> There are four terra cotta planters. There is a big planter on the table that has a pretty flowers and a tablecloth under it.
=> Behind the table is a blue cabinet.
=> There are three chairs and there's a girl sitting on one of them. She looks like she is washing clothes.
=> There is a smaller round table with a basket that has some vegetables in it and a vase beside it.
=> The walls are painted yellow.
=> On top of the blue cabinet there are some white bowls and china stuff...or porcelain.
=> In the center of everything there are two pictures.
=> There is a pretty brown bowl with a cactus in it.
=> There's a green cabinet attached to the wall.
=> There's a picture between the green and blue cabinets.
=> Under the picture, there is a gun.
=> The girl is wearing a blue dress and it has a white apron on it.
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Flowers on the Windowsill, 1895.
Sophia Remembered:
=> There was a long wide window that takes up most of the room. The window is made up of five windows that can open and close.
=> On the wide window sill are 16 different plants in different size planters.
=> One of the plants that's closest to the wall has started to climb up it.
=> Watering her plants is a girl with yellow hair done up in a braid wearing a dark gray dress and dark tights.
=> To the left and right of the window is one candelabra with two candles on either side.
=> Underneath the candles there are two pictures of people.
=> On the left side of the window there is a couch with blue and white stripe cloth draped over it, and a pillow that's the same color as the fabric.
=> There's also a round decorative pillow with red flowers and green leaves.
=> On the other side of the window, there's a big tall bureau with gold locks on it.
=> On the bureau there is a tall plant on it.
=> In the middle of the room there's a table that you can fold in half and a ball of black yarn with a pair of knitting needles.
Olivia Remembered:
=> There is a girl who is wearing a dark blue dress and at the bottom are three black lines.
=> The girl is watering her plants that are on her window seat.
=> To the left of her, there's a couch and there's fabric draped over it and a pillow.
=> In the middle of the room is a round table and there are two chairs - plain white and the other painted white with a cushion on the back. It has some crowns on the fabric.
=> On both sides of the windows there are two candle holders. Below each candle holder there is a picture of someone.
=> To the right, there is a dresser. On the dresser there's lace and on top of that a plant.
=> She has darkish golden hair and she braided her hair.
=> The floor is wood and there's fabric that the inside of it was cut out.
=> The plants are green and some of them have flowers which are red.
=> She is watering her plants with a tealish watering can.
=> Two of the plants have climbed up the wall.
=> The plants are green and some of them have flowers which are red.
=> She is watering her plants with a tealish watering can.
=> Two of the plants have climbed up the wall.
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Lisbeth with Peonies, 1909.
Sophia Remembered:
=> In the center of the picture, there's a tall lady who is wearing a white blouse with sleeves that go down to her elbow. Her skirt is a white and blue checkered. She has a sash draped over her shoulder that's the same fabric as her skirt.
=> She has reddish brown hair that's braided and pulled up in the back with a black ribbon.
=> She's holding a small bouquet of flowers and is walking down the path.
=> Around her are lots of flowers and green grass.
=> It's painted so it looks like she's standing in the middle of the flowers.
=> Behind her is a house that's stone on the bottom for the base and wood for the rest of the way up.
=> The house has two long windows, but you can't see all of the second one.
=> Behind her you can see the branches of a green tree with small leaves.
=> She has her head down and appears to be looking at the flowers in her hand.
=> The house is brightly colored and in between the two windows is a strange looking blue bird with a hooked beak. It looks like it is wearing an oddly-colored shirt. His wings look like he has oven mitts on.
Olivia Remembered:
=> There is a woman who is wearing a white cardigan and over it she's wearing an apron that's checkered white and blue.
=> Behind her is a big barnyard house.
=> To the right - kind of hidden - is a door.
=> There's a separation of wood that divides two windows. On it is a painted bird.
=> The woman is holding some freshly-picked flowers.
=> The barn is red and green.
=> The woman's hair is a golden color that's pulled up in a bun with a black ribbon.
=> There are pansies that are light pink on the outside and a dark pink on the inside.
=> The bunch of flowers she's holding are red and yellow, and she also is holding two pansies. She's standing there and frowning.
=> There is grass and weeds around her.
=> The sky is kind of cloudy.
=> By the door is a willow tree.
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1 comment:
Thank you for sharing your daughter's impressions of an artist new to me with the CM blog carnival!
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