Collection: Carl Larsson

Master portrayer of the Swedish home environment

Carl Larsson (1853-1919) is one of Sweden's most beloved and influential artists, whose work embodies the essence of the ideal Swedish home and family life around the turn of the century. His bright watercolors of intimate scenes from the family home in Sundborn have not only shaped the Swedish self-image but also influenced home interiors and design ideals worldwide. With his characteristic combination of rich detail, bright colors and harmonious compositions, Larsson created an artistic world that continues to captivate and inspire.

The artist who shaped the Swedish home ideal

Raised in humble circumstances in Stockholm, Carl Larsson developed into an artist whose work came to define a new ideal for domestic life. After training at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts and years in France where he met his wife Karin Bergöö, the couple created their famous home in Sundborn, Dalarna. This home, with its bright, airy rooms and personal furnishings, became not only the subject of many of Larsson’s most beloved works but also a physical manifestation of their artistic philosophy – that beauty should be accessible in everyday life.

Our exclusive collection presents ten exquisite reproductions that demonstrate the breadth and depth of Larsson's artistry, from intimate family portraits to poetic interior scenes.

Carl Larsson's world in our collection

The Model Writing a Postcard (1906)

In this charming work, Larsson captures a quiet, everyday scene with a characteristic combination of intimacy and clarity. The model, concentrated on her writing, is surrounded by Larsson’s typical interior details – the patterned textiles, the wooden furnishings and the personal objects that bring the room to life. The work exemplifies the artist’s ability to elevate the everyday moment into something both beautiful and significant.

Portrait of Inga Maria Thiel (1918)

This portrait demonstrates Larsson's skill in a more formal genre. With the same care and warmth with which he depicted his own family, he captures the young Inga Maria Thiel with a combination of psychological insight and technical virtuosity. Executed late in the artist's career, the work demonstrates his mature style, where the characteristic linework is complemented by a subtle coloration that highlights the sitter's personality.

Good Night (1894)

One of Larsson's most moving family portraits, depicting the intimate bedtime between parent and child with warmth and poetry. The scene, bathed in the warm glow of an oil lamp, exemplifies the artist's ability to capture fleeting family moments with both realism and emotional depth. The soft tones and careful composition create an atmosphere of security and homeliness that is timeless in its universal appeal.

From a Home

This work, from the series that was later published in the influential book "A Home", shows Larsson's revolutionary vision for the modern home. Here we see how the artist combines traditional Nordic interior design elements with a new sense of space, light and functionality. The richness of detail in the furniture, textiles and personal objects creates a vivid depiction that both documents and idealizes the Swedish home at the turn of the century.

Esbjorn Doing His Homework

In this intimate family interior, Larsson captures his son Esbjörn during a moment of concentrated schoolwork. The light from the window, the warm wood details and the bright accent colors create a harmonious composition around the young boy. The painting exemplifies the artist's ability to highlight both the room and its inhabitants, where everyday routines are given a poetic shimmer through his sensitive watercolor technique.

The Terms and Conditions (1900)

This scene of evening reading ("kävällandakt" in Finnish) captures a quiet moment of contemplation and family tradition. The Finnish title suggests the cultural spread of Larsson's artistry in the Nordic countries. The lighting treatment is particularly notable, with the warm glow from the lamp creating an atmosphere of intimacy and togetherness – a recurring theme in the artist's depiction of family life.

Azalea (1906)

In this flourishing interior motif, Larsson demonstrates his masterful ability to integrate nature into the home. The azaleas’ vibrant colors contrast and complement the room, while the natural light from the window creates a vibrant atmosphere. The work represents the artist’s belief in the positive impact of nature on the home environment – ​​an idea that would become central to Nordic design and continues to influence Scandinavian interior design philosophy.

Around the Evening Lamp (1900)

This classic interior scene captures the family gathering around the evening lamp, a central focal point in the home of the time. Larsson captures the intimate atmosphere with his characteristic combination of realistic detail and evocative atmosphere. The composition, with the family members naturally grouped around the light source, creates both a visual and emotional focal point that exemplifies the artist's talent for conveying both physical space and emotional bonds.

Carl Larsson, Mother and Daughter (1903)

This touching portrait of Larsson's wife Karin and one of their daughters captures the special relationship between mother and child with characteristic warmth and psychological insight. The artist's intimate knowledge of his subjects gives the picture an authenticity that transcends the purely decorative. The watercolor technique, with its transparent layers and precise lines, emphasizes the soft contours and the effect of natural light on skin and textiles.

At the Piano

In this musical interior, Larsson combines several of his strengths – spatial design, personal portraiture and depiction of cultural life in the home. The piano, a symbol of both education and homeliness, becomes a central element in the composition. The scene captures both the presence of music and the social interaction, important aspects of the educated bourgeois home life that Larsson so masterfully documented and idealized.

Art for the modern home

Carl Larsson's works are remarkably timeless in their appeal, despite being created over a century ago. His clean lines, balanced compositions and bright colour palette harmonize perfectly with today's Scandinavian design ideals. Our high-quality reproductions capture the characteristic transparency and light of Larsson's watercolours, making them ideal for both modern and classic interior design environments.

As wall art, Larsson's images offer a perfect combination of decorative value and cultural-historical depth – a Swedish classic that works equally well in the living room, kitchen or nursery. The warm scenes of family life create an atmosphere of homeliness and harmony in any room.

An artistry with lasting influence

Carl Larsson's importance can hardly be overstated – his visions for home and family life have shaped entire generations' understanding of the good life. His work bridges the gap between high art and everyday design, between the individual and the national. Larsson's influence extends from the philosophy of IKEA to the continued relevance of Scandinavian design on the international stage.

By incorporating a Larsson reproduction into your home, you are joining a long tradition of conscious home decor and Swedish design philosophy. Each poster becomes not just a decorative element but a reminder of the value of beauty in everyday life, family traditions and a home characterized by personality and warmth.

Explore our collection of Carl Larsson's artwork today and let the Swedish 19th-century master's timeless vision enrich your home with light, color and a touch of the ideal Swedish home life.