Under the Linden 1911

Helene Schjerfbeck’s painting shows a scene washed in gentle greens and blues, with a touch of pink on the girl’s cheek. It feels like a memory, a fleeting moment captured in paint. I wonder what it was like for her, setting up her easel under that linden tree? Did she feel a connection to the girl, a sense of shared quietude? The paint is so thin, so translucent, it’s almost as if the image is breathing. Look at the way she’s rendered the hands, just a hint of form, a delicate touch. It makes you think about all the things we do with our hands, how they connect us to the world. You can see her looking at a lot of Impressionist painting here, but there is also something quite modern about her restraint. What do you think this exchange inspires?