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Exceptional oil on canvas, signed lower left
A rare masterpiece from the artist’s very last period, painted at the age of 78, this work is regarded as one of Vermehren’s most accomplished and moving paintings.
In a Danish bourgeois interior bathed in soft natural light, an elderly man – possibly a self-portrait – dozes peacefully in an antique armchair. Beside him, his wife Yelva gently holds his hand in a gesture of infinite tenderness. This suspended moment, filled with dignity and serenity, celebrates the profound bond uniting two souls at life’s twilight.
The perfectly balanced composition belongs to the great Nordic tradition of the Danish Golden Age and the Copenhagen School, evoking the silent poetry of Vilhelm Hammershøi or Carl Holsøe. The exceptional mastery of light, realistic textures, and subtle palette of deep greens, warm browns and velvety greys create a rare atmosphere of contemplation.
In the foreground, a stunningly precise still life – gold-rimmed coffee cup, buttered toast, knife and glass of milk – elevates everyday objects to symbols of life’s simple, precious rituals.
Highlights
• Provenance: former private Danish collection
• Pristine condition – canvas recently cleaned and re-varnished by our restoration studio
• Extremely rare on the market
A major acquisition for any collector of Nordic painting, intimate scenes and 20th-century realism. Perfect in a classic or refined contemporary interior.