Vilhelm Hammershoi, The Music Room, oil on canvas, late 19th c., Denmark
In the mid-1990s I spent many months in Denmark exploring every inch of the country from the northernmost tip of the peninsula of Jutland to the capital of Copenhagen. I explored museum, galleries, and private art collections. I breathed in the beauty of the landscape in every season. I fell in love with the people and their culture. And, I fell in love with the art.
One artist whose paintings I was mesmerized by was Vilhelm Hammershoi, considered one of Denmark’s most celebrated artists and referred to as “the painter of tranquil rooms”. The still, quiet mood of his paintings drew me in immediately. Hammershoi’s paintings portray a melancholic, quiet mood, depicting rooms that are still and sparse.
The picture space in The Music Room is clearly defined. Hammershoi embraces naturalism while bringing a level of abstraction. The colors are muted, the palette limited, the light tangible. Time is absent.
The Music Room depicts a piano, cello, and violin meticulously placed. The light source comes from the window on the left, illuminating the instruments. The room is eerily empty. Did musicians just leave after practicing together? Or have they yet to arrive?
The Music Room exudes tranquility, solitude, mystery, and melancholy. Can you feel the tranquil space of The Music Room? Do you sense the creative potential ready to break out?