A la Campagne

Before you is A la Campagne, a captivating oil on canvas painting created in 1883 by the renowned Swedish artist Carl Larsson. This piece, measuring 1 meter wide and 0.73 meters high, offers a serene glimpse into rural life. The scene unfolds in a tranquil courtyard, bathed in the soft, diffused light of either dawn or dusk. Dominated by a palette of muted earth tones – browns, greens, and greys – punctuated by subtle touches of pale blue in the sky, the painting exudes a sense of calm. nn Notice the central figure: an elderly woman, clad in a long, greyish-blue dress and head covering, gently tending to a flock of chickens scattered around her. She holds a basket, adding to the quiet intimacy of the moment. Two geese peacefully observe the scene in the background. The courtyard itself is enclosed by aged stone walls, with a building subtly visible further back. A bare, leafless tree stands prominently in the center, its branches reaching towards the sky, adding to the overall feeling of quietude and perhaps hinting at the passage of time. A small pile of stones or rubble rests in the lower right corner, grounding the scene in its rustic reality. nn Larsson's masterful use of light and shadow creates a remarkable sense of depth and three-dimensionality. The shadows cast under the tree and along the walls subtly enhance the textures of the stone walls, the ground, and the woman's clothing, all rendered with remarkable realism. The overall composition is naturalistic, capturing a fleeting moment of everyday rural life with a peaceful simplicity that is both timeless and deeply affecting. This artwork is part of the museum's collection.