Kvällsstämning vid Kornhamnstorg, Stockholm 1897

Eugène Jansson’s ‘Kvällsstämning vid Kornhamnstorg, Stockholm’ is an oil painting that captures the essence of a Stockholm evening. The canvas is dominated by a brooding palette of blues and greys, punctuated by the warm, golden glow of city lights. The textural brushstrokes create a palpable sense of the damp, heavy air. Jansson’s formal arrangement is striking. Vertical masts cut through the composition, their lines contrasting with the horizontal stretch of the cityscape. This interplay creates a tension between the natural and the urban, the transient and the permanent. The dark, swirling waters in the foreground reflect the scene above, blurring the boundaries between reality and reflection. The painting invites us to consider the relationship between light and shadow, presence and absence. Jansson uses these elements to challenge our perception of space and form. The city lights disrupt the darkness, creating an unsettling yet beautiful image, where meaning is never fully resolved.