Læsende ung Pige

Much like Hammershøi, Holsøe frequently used his wife Emilie as both his muse and model. The artist regularly drew inspiration from his domestic surroundings, taking the softly-lit rooms of his home as his subject and often including Emilie as part of the composition as well. She is generally seen either from the side, as in the previous lot, or from behind as in the present picture, and is seemingly unaware of the presence of the painter, simply going about some quiet task of her day. Holsøe's home as seen in his paintings was a place of warm, idealized domesticity, where the quickly changing outside world was unable to intrude. Only the light reflecting off Emilie's neck and shoulders from the unseen window to her left gives any indication of the existence of a world outside the painting at all. While Hammershøi's paintings are a place of spare austerity, Holsøe emphasizes the cozy richness of the interior in the present work, with framed paintings on the wall and the charming inclusion of a figurine in a kimono on the table, no doubt a quite expensive and exotic item for the time. The tender rendering of the figure of Emilie, particularly in capturing the play of light on her complicated hairstyle, and the artist's decision to bring her quite close to the picture plane, emphasizes her importance in his life and work, and the love he must have felt for her. It is a touching testament to why she remained his favorite subject throughout his career.