Girls in a Rowing Boat 1883

Editor: This is Albert Edelfelt's "Girls in a Rowing Boat" from 1883, an oil painting with the signature pastel hues and plein-air aesthetic characteristic of impressionism. It gives off a serene vibe, almost melancholic with its hazy scenery and distant figures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: For me, it’s the quiet poetry of it all. The scene feels very… Scandinavian, doesn’t it? Almost like a muted dream. I imagine Edelfelt, out on the water himself, capturing the girls, perhaps on a languid summer afternoon. See how the water reflects everything—or almost everything. I find myself pondering what lies beneath the surface, both literally and metaphorically. What are those girls thinking about, out there on the lake? Or are they just enjoying a still, soft, almost timeless afternoon? Editor: It's funny you say "Scandinavian dream". There is a sense of timelessness in the vagueness and softness of the colours. So is that something typically Scandinavian, would you say? That wistful feel? Curator: Maybe... It is true that Nordic art tends to shy away from the dramatic in favour of introspection. Edelfelt was Finnish-Swedish. And in his cultural context at this time there was great attention to landscape and 'nation', and so the rendering of quiet leisure time may well invoke national character. Don’t you think there’s a tension there, a certain stillness that somehow also hints at underlying emotions, or even social class distinctions evident from their attire? Editor: I didn't quite get that at first! But the social status does pop out now that you mention it. That dark dress seems formal in that light! Now, there’s so much more to consider about it! Curator: Exactly! Art whispers, if you listen close enough. I am happy if our discussion brought something new to your view!