Portrait of Inga-Maria Thiel (1918 CE)

Porträtt av Inga-Maria Thiel or, Portrait of Inga-Maria Thiel (1918), a watercolor by Carl Larsson, captures the youthful charm of Inga-Maria Thiel, daughter of the prominent Swedish banker and art collector Ernest Thiel. Rendered in Larsson’s signature light, decorative style, the artwork presents the young girl as a carefree figure in a delicate dress, embodying an idealized innocence. This piece, housed in the Thielska Galleriet in Stockholm, offers a glimpse into the opulent yet tragic world of the Thiel family.

Painted in 1918, Portrait of Inga-Maria Thiel emerged during a tumultuous period for the Thiel family. The artwork was painted three years after the death of Inga-Maria’s mother, Signe Maria Thiel, who died in 1915 from an opium overdose. Carl Larsson (1853–1919), a close friend of the Thiels, was commissioned to portray Inga-Maria, likely by her father, Ernest Thiel, as part of his effort to immortalize his family through art. Larsson had previously painted Ernest (1915) and Signe Maria (1900), reflecting a longstanding relationship with the family. The portrait’s creation coincided with Ernest Thiel’s financial decline, exacerbated by World War I, which culminated in the sale of the Thielska family home to the Swedish state in 1924.

Larsson was a frequent guest at the Thielska Gallery, participating in card games and cultural gatherings alongside artists like Edvard Munch and Bruno Liljefors. His wife, Karin Larsson, maintained a correspondence with the Thiels, underscoring the intimacy of their bond. The portrait’s setting within a room at the Thielska Gallery, adorned with light birch furniture and Jugendstil details reminiscent of the Larssons’ own aesthetic, suggests a deliberate homage to this friendship. Additionally, Larsson’s choice to depict Inga-Maria with a saccharine charm may reflect his attempt to preserve an image of familial harmony amid the Thiels’ personal tragedies.

The painting holds a significant place within Swedish art, embodying Carl Larsson’s idealization of domestic life and childhood innocence. The artwork’s light, decorative style aligns with the Jugendstil movement and Larsson’s broader oeuvre, which often celebrated familial warmth. Within the Thielska Galleriet, the portrait forms part of a familial narrative, hanging alongside portraits of Ernest, Signe Maria, and Inga-Maria’s brother, Tage Thiel. This ensemble underscores Ernest Thiel’s ambition to create a lasting legacy through art. The portrait’s subtle melancholy, veiled by its bright palette, reflects the tension between the Thiels’ cultural prominence and their personal losses, particularly Signe Maria’s death and the family’s financial ruin. Symbolically, Inga-Maria’s portrayal as an innocent figure contrasts with the darker realities of her family’s history.

The artwork is a watercolor, a medium Larsson frequently employed for its luminous and delicate qualities. Measuring approximately 50 x 70 cm (19.7 x 27.6 inches) the piece exemplifies Larsson’s mastery of light and color. The soft, translucent hues and fluid brushwork create a dreamlike quality, enhancing the idealized depiction of Inga-Maria. The portrait’s decorative elements, such as the girl’s dress and the subtle background details, reflect Larsson’s attention to pattern and ornamentation, hallmarks of his style.

Portrait of Inga-Maria Thiel was commissioned by Ernest Thiel and has remained part of the Thielska Galleries collection since its creation. The Thielska Gallery, originally the Thiel family’s residence, was completed in 1907 as both a home and a gallery for Ernest’s extensive art collection. Following Ernest Thiel’s financial difficulties, the house was sold to the Swedish state in 1924 for 1.5 million kronor and transformed into a public museum in 1925.