Interior. Strandgade 30, 1901

About the Work

Copenhagen, Strandgade 30 – this is the flat where Vilhelm Hammershøi lived together with his wife, Ida, from 1898 until 1909. Purist interior representations like this constitute nearly half of his oeuvre. The Danish artist frequently rendered his sparsely furnished apartment predominantly in hues of grey, and depicted the space with great precision. He often included a rear view of Ida. Closed in by the open doors in the adjacent room, she is fixed at the centre of the painting – like an object. The interplay of homely and uncanny elements in Hammershøi’s works continue to fascinate people to this day.