Style Imitating Art: Karin at the Shore by Carl Larsson
About Style Imitating Art
Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Terri of MeadowTree Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as curator, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the curator by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the curator will share all of the submissions on her blog.
You don’t have to be a blogger to join! You are invited to share your images on Instagram or other social media platforms. Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!
The Inspiration Artwork
The inspiration artwork was chosen by Salazar. You can read why she picked this work here.
Karin at the Shore by Carl Larsson (Watercolor on paper, 1908)
About the Artist: Carl Larsson
Carl Olof Larsson was born on May 28, 1853, in Stockholm, Sweden, to extremely poor parents. His father worked as a casual laborer and has been described by his son as a loveless drunkard with no self control while his mother was the opposite and worked tiresome hours as a laundress in order to provide for her family. Larsson’s childhood was a generally unhappy one moving from one temporary dwelling to another until he was urged by his teacher at the school for poor children to apply to the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. At the age of 13, Carl Larsson was admitted to the academy and spent his first three years feeling socially inferior, confused, and extraordinarily shy. When he was 16, he was promoted to the “antique school” at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts which helped to bolster his confidence and he quickly became a central figure in student life.
His first art award was for nude drawing and he began working as a caricaturist for the humorous paper Kasper and as a graphic artist for the newspaper Ny Illustrerad Tidning. He earned annual wages from these two jobs that were sufficient to help financially support his family.
Larsson worked for several years as an illustrator of books, magazines, and newspapers before moving to Paris in 1877 at the age of 24. He spent several more years working unsuccessfully as an artist. He had cut himself off, like some other Swedish artists of his generation, from the radical changes being implemented by the French progressive Impressionists. In 1882, he settled down with his Swedish painter colleagues at a Scandinavian artists’ colony on the outskirts of Paris where he met the artist Karin Bergöö whom he would soon marry. Between 1884 and 1900, Carl and Karin Larsson had 8 children and his family became his favorite models to use in his paintings. Much of Karin’s interior design work is also depicted in Larsson’s paintings.
In 1888, the young Larsson family was gifted a home in Dalarna County, Sweden, by Karin’s father. Because of the many paintings in Larsson’s books, his family home, named Lilla Hyttnäs, has become one of the most famous artist’s homes in the world. The descendants of Carl and Karin Larsson currently own this house, which is now known as Carl Larsson-gården. It is open for tourists every year from May until October.
Later in his life, Larsson suffered from bouts of depression exacerbated by an eye problem in 1915 and a worsening of frequent headache pain. In January 1919, he suffered a mild stroke and then spent his remaining days completing his memoirs. He died on January 22, 1919, at the age of 65 and is buried in the cemetery of Sundborn Church in Falun, Sweden.
Carl Larsson became representative of the Arts and Crafts movement which was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that was sweeping across the British Empire to the rest of Europe and America. His many paintings include oils, watercolors, and frescoes but he is principally known for his watercolors portraying idyllic family life.
About the Art: Karin at the Shore
Carol Larsson is considered one of the most important and influential artists in Swedish art history. His style and imagery connect different international movements while his motifs of family, home, and simple rural living reflect the ideals of Swedish life. Karin at the Shore is a wonderful example of Larsson’s overall artistic approach.
Karin at the Shore is a watercolor on paper painted by Larsson in Sundborn, Dalarna, Sweden, in 1908. It depicts his wife Karin standing in a pensive pose as she walks in the garden along the shores of Sundborns River near their home Lilla Hyttnäs. Larsson’s daughter Brita is portrayed sitting in a rowboat on the river dressed in a Sundborn costume with the family dog Joup-Joup as her companion while Karin gazes serenely at the flowers along the shoreline.
Larsson published this painting in his 1910 book “On the Sunny Side” (“On the sunny side: a book about the dwelling, about children, about you, about flowers, about everything: outside the home”) where he writes of it, “On the second picture Karin walks along the shore and looks wistfully at the autumns very last flower. The next night they froze away!”
The original painting measures 75 cm wide x 54.3 cm tall (29.5 in x 21.4 in). It was purchased in 1914 by the City of Malmö in the Baltic Exhibition and is currently held by the Malmö Art Museum.
Resources/References:
- Carl Larsson: Wikipedia
- Karin Bergöö: Wikipedia
- Arts and Crafts movement: Wikipedia
- Karin at the Shore: Wikipedia
- Karin at the Shore: Google Arts & Culture
- Karin at the Shore: Europeana
About My Outfit Inspired by Karin at the Shore
As soon as I saw the painting, I knew immediately that I was going to style this new cotton poplin cami maxi dress in seaborne blue from Old Navy. The color is the perfect match for Karin’s pinafore while the dress style itself resembles a pinafore. This dress is so cool and comfortable on a hot summer’s day and I love the easy fit so much that I also bought it in black. While I definitely do not need any more dresses in my wardrobe, I have to admit that I am currently lusting after many of the Old Navy summer dresses this season. But I just cleared out 200 dresses from my closet that were either too big, too small, too old, or too ugly and then I subsequently added about a dozen new dresses from Old Navy, Torrid, and festival pop up shops. So I definitely do not need to be encouraged or tempted with cute new dresses!
I also knew that I was going to layer a black duster or kimono over the dress to reflect Karin’s black dress. What I didn’t know was how perfect the floral print on this particular Torrid kimono would be to represent the flowers along the shore in the painting.
Of course, I needed to wear a hat as well but I do not own a fancy white one like Karin’s so I opted for my tan straw cloche hat which matches my style aesthetic better anyway. I wore my new Mountain Momma rope sandals in black sparkle from Nomadic State of Mind because they are new and I wanted to wear them and they worked with this outfit. I kept my jewelry simple with a beaded heart necklace by Michal Golan and simple gold and crystal teardrop earrings.
I absolutely loved this outfit and felt so pretty and feminine all day long. In fact, I made a fun observation about myself when I was wearing this dress…one thing that makes me feel super feminine is when I have to gather up the abundant fabric of my skirts in my hand so I don’t trip while walking up steps. I have no idea why this makes me feel so feminine but it does and it makes me smile every time I have to do it. Unless I have my hands filled with other things that need to be carried up the stairs, then I just get annoyed as I trip my way there over my long dress.
There you have it…Shelbee at the Shore! How did I do?
Be sure to check out Salazar’s interpretation of the painting as well as Terri’s take on it. If you would like to participate in this challenge and have your photo included in Salazar’s round up post on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, be sure to email your photos to her by Tuesday, June 28, 2022, by 10:00 p.m. EST. I can’t wait to see what you all style for this one!
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Dress-Old Navy / Kimono-Torrid / Sandals-Nomadic State of Mind / Necklace-Michal Golan / Hat-Kohl’s / Earrings-Old
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
24 Comments
Patrick Weseman
You so nailed it. Perfection.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick!
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar Strauss-Benjamin
Stunning recreation!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tamar!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
You did a great job! I’m just missing Archie on a rowing boat on the background. Lol. But 200 dresses? Wow, where do you leave all of them? I know exactly what you mean with pulling up long skirts. It has something early 20th centuries!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! Ohhh, that would have been amazing if I got Archie in a rowboat behind me! Hahaha. 200 dresses is ridiculous, isn’t it? They were all jammed in my closet and I still have a bin full of tee shirt and sweatshirt dresses in the basement to go through. It is a slow process getting through it all, that’s for sure.
xoxo
Shelbee
Lovely
You did great with this challenge. Your kimono is beautiful!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lovely! This is definitely one of my favorite kimonos!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kezzie
This is a beautiful interpretation! You even found a lake! I love the blue drss and floral duster. It was great to learn about Larsson too!x
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kezzie! I was really happy with this outfit and felt very comfortable and feminine wearing it. The little lake in my background is at a local cemetery. I take a lot of photos in there because it is just such a beautiful place, so peaceful and the grounds are so welcoming.
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
Oh my goodness; you totally nailed this style!! You have the most ecelectic wardrobe, I swear. I love your new shoes too; I noticed right away that these were the same red rope ones in a new color.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Gahhh, thanks so much, Joanne! This comment really made me smile! I have sooooo many clothes, it is insane. I am in he process of cleaning out a lot of it because it is just too much. But yes, it is definitely a very eclectic collection of clothing. Haha. And I am loving my rope sandals! These are actually a different rope design from the red ones, too. They have a few different rope designs which is cool. I actually prefer the design the red ones. I think they are more flattering on my big feet!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
You look so pretty Shelby!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Jennifer! I felt really pretty in this outfit!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
OK, my post is written so I can read yours!!! I love how you posed yourself like Karin! You are so daggone creative, Shelbee! Wasn’t this the best art work? So many colors and ways to go! Oh, but you make me feel better about myself and my dress obsession! 200 gone which means several more (besides the new ones) still around? I love it!!!!
That kimono is perfect for this prompt! And, I totally get the feminine thing…I wish we still wore those pretty lacey slips that gave your dresses even more swish-ability! I think that’s why I don’t bother to hem my dresses even though I know they’re too long. I just feel more feminine in them…which sorta makes my toes curl because I consider myself a real feminist…so I guess that makes me a feminine feminist!!!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Marsha! Why can’t you be a feminine feminist?! You can be anything you want to be even if it’s contradictory. I feel like our contradictory natures are all just a natural part of the human experience. And we are all feminine and feminist to some degree just as we are all a whole bunch of other stuff to some degree. As for the dresses, my goodness, I am stilling going through them! I tackled the last bunch from the basement yesterday. I am estimating that I ditched about 250 and kept about 250. Why I had 500 dresses to begin with, I have no idea and I am a little embarrassed by that! I do love a dress or skirt with maximum swishability and femininity, but then again, I do also enjoy the luxury of wearing whatever I please and whatever is practical for what I am doing. I don’t think I would have liked being forced to wear giant swishy dresses all the time…that’s the feminine feminist in me! I’ll be round today to read your post!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
Hi, Shelbee – This is one of my favorite outfits from your SIA series. I love the color of your Old Navy sundress. It’s a more interesting hue than the original dress in the watercolor. And the kimono is a perfect finishing touch. You chose a lovely setting for the photo, too. Well Done!!
Thank you for participating in Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 24.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my goodness, thanks so much, Carol! I was really pleased with this outfit, too. I felt so feminine and pretty in it! And this shade of blue is one of my absolute favorites. It was my mother’s favorite color so I have a special fondness for it.
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
You nailed it! Such a pretty summer dress. The color is beautiful and I love the way it’s designed. The kimono is gorgeous with it, and perfect for the challenge.
I can relate to what you are saying about feeling feminine when you have to manage your skirt / dress going up the stairs. 😀
I love it when an artist is acknowledged for their work while they are still alive. And Larsson’s talent took him a long way from they poverty of his youth.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Michelle, thanks so much! Swishability definitely creates a feeling of femininity, doesn’t it?
Larsson definitely made his own way in the art world rising up from his impoverished beginnings to make a incredible legacy for himself. It is a very inspiring story, for sure, about a very talented artist. I meant to link to the Larsson family home in my post but I forgot to. Check out how pretty their home is here. Sweden is definitely on my bucket list of places to visit. My maternal grandfather was of Swedish descent so I have always felt a special kinship with Sweden and Swedish people. Maybe one day I will get there and I will visit Lilla Hyttnäs. Here’s a little Swedish trivia from my personal life…Carl Larsson’s middle name was Olof which was also my mother’s brother’s middle name…he was David Olof and my grandfather was George Amandus…both very Swedish names.
xoxo
Shelbee
Sally in St Paul
Terrific interpretation, Shelbee! I love how looking from the original painting to your first outfit photo gives the impression that a solid kimono has slurped up all the flowers from the shoreline onto the clothing itself.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Sally, thank you so much! That is the best imagery ever…my kimono slurping up all the flowers from the shoreline! So fun!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
This look is perfection and it almost looks exactly like the art! That kimono is so pretty and that last image is amazing.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Kathrine, thanks so much! This kimono is definitely one of my favorites! But it is so bold that I don’t wear it often. I probably should wear it more!
xoxo
Shelbee