Carl Larsson

Born into extreme poverty in Stockholm, Larsson had a harsh childhood he later described as a 'breeding ground for cholera.' At 13, he was admitted to the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, where his talent began to flourish.¹

In 1882, he met his future wife Karin in the artists' colony of Grez-sur-Loing. This meeting was a turning point, leading him to shift from oil painting to the bright watercolor style that became his trademark.¹

The house 'Lilla Hyttnäs,' a gift from his father-in-law, was decorated with the couple's artistic taste and greatly influenced Swedish interior design. It is now a museum preserving their lifestyle.¹

With improved color reproduction in the 1890s, his book 'A Home' became a massive hit. In Germany, a 1909 edition sold 40,000 copies in just three months, an extraordinary bestseller for the time.¹

His late masterpiece 'Midwinter Sacrifice' is a massive 6x14 meter oil painting. Though he considered it his finest work, its rejection by the National Museum caused him profound bitterness and despair.¹

In his later years, he suffered from depression, eye problems, and severe headaches. After a mild stroke in 1919, he focused on his memoirs and passed away later that year at the age of 65.¹

The rejected 'Midwinter Sacrifice' was once sold to a Japanese collector, but the National Museum finally repurchased it in 1997. It is now displayed in its intended location as a treasure of Swedish art.¹