A Family: Paintings from a Bygone Age

by Lennart Rudström, Carl Larsson (Illustrator), Polly Lawson (Translator)

Carl Larsson is one of Sweden's best-loved artists. The watercolours of his home and family from the end of the nineteenth century are widely acclaimed as a one of the richest records of life at that time.
The paintings in this book all depict Larsson's his wife Karen and their children - Suzanne, Ulf, Pontus, Lisbeth, Brita, Kersti, Esbjorn - at their home in Sundborn. The accompanying text provides an insight into Larsson family life, and Carl's painting techniques.

Genres: Art, Picture Books, Childrens, Sweden, Family, Cultural, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful picture books lets you look into the lives of Carl Larsson and his family. Family portraits and everyday scenes. Beautiful, mundane moments are captured. Amazing illustrations, I love the way this artist seemed to create and capture the happy family life that he lacked in his own childhood.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of three children's picture-books to incorporate the domestic painting of beloved Swedish artist Carl Larsson - see also: A Home and A Farm - with text, based upon Larsson's own memoirs, by Lennart Rudström, A Family offers a lovely portrait of the painter's family, whom he often used as models, in his work. These paintings, however, are of the family as themselves, going about their daily tasks, or captured in moments of rest. One of my all-time favorite Larsson pieces, Studio Idyll, which depicts the artist's wife Karin, together with their newborn daughter, Suzanne, is included.

Needless to say, this is a book with brilliant illustrations! The text, too, is very appealing, offering a window into that other time, and the lives of one artistic family, in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Sweden. There is more detail given here, as compared to the other two picture-books, about Larsson's artistic process, which was interesting. Taken together, I think this trio of titles - A Home , A Farm and A Family - are a wonderful introduction to this important artist's work (and to his family) for young readers.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisbeth, the little rascal, is like a little troll sparkling in the sunshine. There is brightness and glitter around her, and bubbling and tinkling laughter. There is giggling, and there is no sorrow wherever she goes.

So writes Carl Larsson, one of the finest artists of Sweden, about his daughter. He had four girls (Suzanne, Lisbeth, Brita, and Kersti) and three sons (Ulf, Pontus, and Esbjörn).

The art by itself makes this a solid five-star book. But the text by Lennart Rudström truly complements the visual glory. This is a portrait of a well-ordered, well-embellished, beautiful home. Full of contented children. Larsson was a craftsman carpenter as well as a painter. He grew up in poverty in the slums of Stockholm; it gave him a craving for beauty and creativity.

I find it ironic that the serenity depicted in the pictures is born of fierce frustration. In 1894 it rained six weeks without stopping, bringing a halt to Larsson's outdoor work. His wife, Karin, (I love that spelling, don't you?) suggested he paint indoor scenes. We all should give thanks for that pile of precipitation. I rejoiced in this paragraph:

Carl liked to paint different sayings over the doorways through the house. Over the door in this painting are the words "The Peace of the Lord" [in Swedish]. Over the door to the entry he painted a portrait of Esbjörn and the words, "I tell you; be happy as a child." And over another he wrote, "Love each other children; for love is everything."

Karin on the Shore depicts quiet grief after the death of their oldest son. It is a piece that draws me in and gives me pause. Karin's black dress under the blue apron is standard mourning attire, but her posture and face show her sadness.

[Without intending it, I'm reading several books set in the 1890's. Oh, the satisfying synchronicity of a reading life!]

[Nathanael Greene Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Companion book to The Home

[Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding and beautiful

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why don't we see illustrations like this in books any more? This is another book of Carl Larsson's paintings accompanied by Lennart Rudstrom's text, detailing the Larsson family. The author is totally correct in his assertion that every picture is a story.

[Shirleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing in this book is somewhat simplistic, but the pictures (all of them are paintings or sketches done by Larsson himself of his family members) are very lovely. He is from Sweden and is one of my favorite artists. His paintings are of happy family times.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope to read someday.