Portræt af Olivia Holm-Møller 1905

Elise Konstantin-Hansen made this portrait of Olivia Holm-Møller with watercolour on paper. I love the way the colours in this piece feel almost like a memory – soft, hazy, not quite fixed. It's like Konstantin-Hansen is feeling her way through the portrait, letting the colours pool and blend. There's a beautiful tension in the way she handles the watery medium. The washes of colour are so delicate, yet there's a real strength in the composition, especially the gaze of the subject. Notice how the checkered pattern of the shawl both flattens and animates the image, it's a beautiful mix of formal structure and improvisational colour. See how a single stroke of purple defines the corner of the shawl, how it bleeds into the paper, creating a halo-like effect? This piece reminds me a little of Gwen John, both artists have a similar sensitivity in their approach to colour and form. It’s a great example of how art is always in conversation with itself, echoing and responding across generations.