Margareta Gynning

Study of the lives and works of two female painters in late 19th-Century Sweden. I bought this book having seen a small, sketchy portrait by Eva Bonnier in the municipal art-gallery in the town of Karlskrona where I once lived, which, despite its diminutive size, easily outshone anything else on the gallery's walls. Both Bonnier and Hirsch-Pauli excelled as insightful portraitists.

Supposing I've gleaned the information from the book correctly (my Swedish is still quite poor), both artists had to navigate social obstacles, and overcome prejudices, in order to continue painting - despite coming from relatively wealthy and liberal family backgrounds. Even so, Bonnier apparently felt obliged to give up her artistic vocation after a relatively short career.… (meer)