A Family: Paintings from a Bygone Age [Hardcover]

I have always enjoyed looking at reproductions of Carl Larsson's pictures and would love to see them in reality, in the Swedish galleries or museums. Despite their being created well over a hundred years ago, they remain fresh, up to date and inspirational. "A Family", "Paintings from a Bygone Age" is a collection in landscape set up, the hard covered book resembles a water colour sketch book in style. The paper dust cover carries the same bright holiday picture as the hard backs.

The colourful artwork is beautifully printed. Black and white sketches by the artist also adorn the text. A straight forward biography of CL accompanies the paintings, introducing the reader to the comforting, close knit world of the Larssons. His wife Karin and their seven children Suzanne, Ulf, Pontus, Brita, Lisbeth, Kersti and Esbjorn. Such warmth and joy was found within his family that Carl wrote, on the birth of his first child; "Now I am the happiest man in the world. I turn cartwheels and somersaults!".

Their babies, as all infants, are gorgeous and the little children too, all are shown with beams and smiles, round faces and contented looks. Carl and Karin brought up their family in a small French village outside Paris and later Stockholm. Christmas cards were made and sent, printed by the Larssons from a copper plate covered in beeswax and soot. They moved on to their more famous domicile of Sundborn in Sweden, the setting for so many more glorious outdoor, and delightful domestic illustrations.

Ahead of their time, the Larssons were interior designers par excellence. Their little cottage was extended, the garden redesigned and the homely, modest but so tasteful ideas they dreamed up became famously reproduced and the so Swedish/Larsson style was born - "In the summer of 1894, it rained for six weeks without stopping. Carl was unable to paint outdoors, so on Karin's suggestion, he started painting scenes of the inside of their home". Busily painting murals to commission, illustrating books, drawing his children, frequently wearing historical costumes researched, designed and made by Karin.

"At Home" the collection of these domestic paintings was so popular that "some soldiers took a copy of the book with them into the trenches of the First World War". The peaceful, homely, comforting scenes must have been very consoling.

Details of how and when the lovely paintings were done enrich the experience of looking a them page by page. Seasonal celebrations, family activities are all enhanced by a little touch of magic. Glowing lamps, shelves of books, stoves, rich reds, cool blues, sunflowers, pageants, picnics, quiet family studies, all tell a very human story that threads through the book. Poignant loss and regret are also included, as when their oldest son Ulf dies, Karin is seen dressed in a black gown, that "contrasts with the bright, late summer day. She is lost in thought, and hardly sees the brilliant red flowers, the sparkling water, or the girl with the dog in a rowing boat." Without the explanations given the pictures would be less easy to understand.

In the end Carl drew from memory as his children were grown. He died at only 66, in 1919; his generous legacy those sunlit days by the water, the joy of bringing children in the world they had created and the huge, warm love for his family.

A charming volume, a great pleasure to own, share and to be inspired by.