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This painting by Johan Christoffer Boklund, likely created around 1860, is a classic example of his genre painting. The scene is set in a rustic kitchen interior, bathed in soft, muted light. At the center-left, an elderly woman sits on a bench near a hearth, clad in a white apron and headscarf, gently holding a pot or jug—suggesting she is either preparing or finishing a meal. Her expression is calm and observant, indicating a nurturing presence.
To her right, two children stand beside a low wooden table. One child, possibly a girl, is smiling and pointing or gesturing toward something on the table - a lobster - while the younger child, a blond boy in a vest, looks on with curiosity. The interaction evokes a sense of storytelling, play, and familial warmth.
The background features a stone hearth with visible embers glowing inside, creating a sense of coziness. Household items—pots, baskets, and cooking tools—are scattered naturally, adding authenticity to the domestic setting. Vegetables (onions, carrots, peppers) rest in the foreground near a kettle, emphasizing the kitchen theme.
This unsigned oil on canvas painting is in very good condition, with signs of having been restored sometime around the turn of the last century. It shows some craquelure and light rubbing on the lower right side and is enclosed in a gilded wooden frame, and a nameplate at the bottom reads: J.C. Boklund, affirming the artist’s authorship.
Johan Christoffer Boklund was a prominent Swedish painter recognized for his contributions to history, genre, and portrait painting. Born 15 July 1817 in the village of Kulla-Gunnarstorp in Scania, he was the son of a gardener. At the age of fifteen, he moved to Lund, where he assisted in creating illustrations for zoologist Sven Nilsson’s publications on Scandinavian fauna under the guidance of Magnus Körner.
Boklund later studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where he was taught by J. L. Lund. In 1837, he relocated to Stockholm to attend the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. During this period, he supported himself as a lithographer and drawing instructor, while also producing genre scenes and history paintings.
In 1846, Boklund traveled to Munich with fellow painter Johan Fredrik Höckert, staying for eight years and undertaking summer study trips to Bavaria, Tyrol, and northern Italy. He concentrated primarily on 17th-century historical themes but also explored interior and architectural subjects. In 1853, his painting Den nyfikne trumpetaren (The Curious Trumpet Player) won him a government scholarship, enabling a move to Paris. There, he worked in the atelier of Thomas Couture from 1854 to 1855 before returning to Sweden.
Upon his return, Boklund began teaching painting at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, eventually becoming a professor. Among his students was King Charles XV of Sweden, with whom he developed a close friendship. In 1866, he became curator at the Nationalmuseum (Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts) and was appointed director of the academy the following year. He was also instrumental in organizing the 1866 Nordic Art Exhibition in Stockholm and played a key role in founding the academy’s women’s section.
Johan Christoffer Boklund died in Stockholm on 9 December 1880.
Artist: Johan Christoffer Boklund (1817-1880).
Unsigned.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Condition: Very good condition.
Dimensions: 47 x 58 cm. / 18 ½ x 22 ¾ in.
Frame: 64 x 75 cm. / 25 x 29 ½ in. Very good condition.
Origin: Sweden.
