Woman Vegetable Vendor in France

Woman Vegetable Vendor in France

1886

Oil on canvas

Mått 120,00 x 158,00 cm

GKM 0896

Bequest of the artist, 1930

We find ourselves at a market, facing a cart heaped with vividly coloured vegetables. A small child sleeps among the carrots, pumpkins, cauliflowers, radishes, and peppers. A middle-aged woman in a light blue headscarf and dark blouse stands beside the cart. She is the greengrocer, appearing slightly weary as she supports one arm on the cart while placing fruit in a bowl. The customer next to her is shown in profile, his gaze fixed on the produce. The background consists of whitewashed walls, a glimpse of treetops, and a patch of cloudy sky. Thorell studied in France and was influenced by impressionism. This movement favoured outdoor painting, working directly before the subject. For women, this could be challenging—societal norms restricted their ability to move freely in public. Thorell was among the radical artists of the 1880s who argued for reform in Swedish art education. Later in life she adopted a more conservative outlook, focusing primarily on portraiture after 1900. She was well regarded in her time and exhibited both in Sweden and abroad.

Hannover, Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum, 2002, no. 135 Köpenhamn, Kunstforeningen, 10/08/2002 - 27/10/2002, no. 135

Anna Lena Lindberg, m fl, Når kvinder fortæller. Kvindelige maleri I Norden 1880-1900, Kunstforeningen, Köpenhamn 2002., no. 135, p. 159