Interior Strandgade 30 1901

Vilhelm Hammershøi made this painting of an interior, presumably in his apartment in Copenhagen, using oil on canvas. The way Hammershøi applies paint is so subtle, it almost feels like he’s exhaling color onto the canvas, a world of grays, whites, and blacks. The texture is so smooth, it’s like the air itself is a tangible thing. Take a look at that open doorway, the way it invites you into another room, another world, shrouded in shadow. It’s like a stage set. I keep wanting to know what happens next, or what happened just before. Who is the figure in the other room? Hammershøi reminds me of Agnes Martin, in that both artists make paintings that are quiet, meditative, and deeply personal. They show us that sometimes, the most profound statements are whispered, not shouted. Art is such an ongoing conversation across time, isn't it?