Caroline van Deurs (1860-1932) was an accomplished Danish artist, known for her genre scenes, landscapes, and interiors. She was trained by Vilhelm Kyhn (1819-1903), considered the grandfather of Danish landscape painting, and spent two years in Paris.

Above all, Van Deurs was a storyteller, describing with great skill and elegance the memorable experiences that occur between close friends and family. Her scenes are rarely static; they’re alive with movement and delivered in soft focus with gentle chiaroscuro. Lips are poised to speak, hands are occupied, and embroidered voiles are fluttering as if caught by a shifting breeze.

Born into a large family with five siblings, familial interactions were probably foremost on her mind as she developed her artistic career. In a piece from 1914 titled “While Mother and Father are Out,” five children play freely in a splendid sunlit room. A boisterous young boy rests his shoes on the furniture, while numerous wooden toys are strewn across the floor. The excitement is palpable, and the volume almost audible.

Aside from her training with Vilhelm Kyhn, little information is available about her further education. She is recorded as having spent two years in Paris, and it is plausible that she attended Académie de La Palette, a private art school that aimed to promote the “conciliation between freedom and respect for tradition.” This popular atelier stood for individuality rather than conformity, while equally respecting the old masters.

In this enchanting piece from 1918, titled "Else’s Brev" (Else’s Letter), a young woman sits at a desk before a window, balcony, and city view. Pen in hand, she is midway through writing a letter—perhaps replying to a loyal friend or longing for a distant lover. Her cheeks are flushed, and her pale blue dress is partially lit. Van Deurs captured the scene with her typical mastery—note the clever rendering of the plants, which seem to frame Else as she writes, and the quiet yet pensive atmosphere amid the radiant pastel tints. This work was shown at the Kunstnerforeningen (Danish Artists' Association) in 1921.

Caroline van Deurs exhibited regularly at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition, the Women’s Exhibition in Copenhagen, and at the Paris Salon. Monogrammed in the lower left and framed later, "Else’s Letter" remains a testament to Caroline van Deurs’ ability to create evocative and timeless scenes that resonate with viewers even today.