Carl Larsson, ink and watercolour, signed C.L. and dated Kymmendö 1881.
"Inbjudan till Greta Strindbergs döpelseakt" (Invitation to the christening of Greta Strindberg). Translation of text in Swedish: "GRETA *9 juni 1881 Siri and August Strindberg have the honour to invite you to the christening Wednesday July 20, 1881 at 6 p.m." Image 43 x 33,5 cm.
Laid on paper panel. Paper loss. Yellowed. Stains, Handlig creases, folds. Not framed.
Greta Strindberg (1881-1912).
Dr. Henry von Philp (August Strindberg's physician and son-in-law)
Private Collection.
Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm, "Minnesutställning. Carl Larsson", March 6 - April 5, 1920, cat. no 21, then in the collection of Dr. Henry von Philp.
Olof Lagercrantz, "August Strindberg", Stockholm, 1979, illustrated p. 106.
Karin Smirnoff, "Strindbergs första hustru", Albert Bonniers Förlag, Stockholm, 1926, mentioned and illustrated p. 151 ff.
Ulwa Neergaard, "Carl Larsson. Signerat med pensel och penna", 1999, illustrated p. 41, listed in the catalogue supplement as no 96.
Greta Strindberg var dotter till August Strindberg och Siri von Essen. Greta föddes på Kymmendö i stockholms skärgård sommaren 1881. Under denna sommar hälsade zoologen Dr. Anton Stuxberg och Carl Larsson ofta på hos Strindberg. Tillsammans representerade de vetenskapen, konsten och litteraturen, förenade av musiken. Till Gretas dop gjorde Carl Larsson ett muntert illustrerat inbjudningskort i stort format. Kortet skickades runt till inbjudna gäster och blivande faddrar som i sin tur antecknade, på kortet, om de kunde komma eller ej. Gästlistan omfattade bl.a. Dr Anton Stuxberg, Helga Frankenfelt, skådespelerska och sedermera gift med Stuxberg, Herr Pelle Jansson, operasångare (som även gett upphov till Biff Pelle Jansson), Gulri (Gulli) Åberg, aktris, Carl Larsson, målaren själv, och Hilma Frankenfelt, skådespelerska och syster till Helga Frankenfelt.
Greta Strindberg gifte sig sedermera med sin kusin läkaren Henry von Philp. Greta var verksam vid teatern och medverkade i flera uppmärksammade sommarturnéer i Finland och i Sverige. Bland annat spelade hon i Strindbergs pjäs Kronbruden. Från hösten 1911 var hon engagerad av Vasateatern. Greta Strindberg omkom den 16 juni 1912 i den stora järnvägsolyckan i Malmslätt i Östergötland.
Carl Larsson is considered one of the greatest Swedish artists of all time. He was born in Gamla Stan in Stockholm and studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in the years 1866-76. After his studies in Stockholm, he traveled to France and settled in Grèz-sur-Loing. There he mainly painted garden motifs. In France, he met his future wife Karin Bergöö, who was also an artist and came to mean a lot for his artistry. Already during his student years, he made a living as a photo retoucher and cartoonist in the press. It was also during his studies that Larsson got to know Anders Zorn and Bruno Liljefors, together the three are usually called the ABC artists. At the end of the 1880s, Carl and Karin were given "Lilla Hyttnäs" in Sundborn outside Falun by Karin's father, and this is where Larsson's most famous watercolors depicting his family were created. The motifs often depict sunny landscapes with children, crayfish fishing, meals in the green and interior scenes. Larsson is represented, among other, in the National Museum, where "Gustav Vasas intåg i Stockholm" and "Midvinterblot" fills the stairwell. Represented mainly at the National Museum in Stockholm and at the Gothenburg Art Museum.
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