The Yard and Washhouse. From A Home (26 watercolours)

This watercolor belongs to the celebrated series 'A Home' (Ett Hem), which Carl Larsson began around 1894 and published in book form in 1899. The twenty-six watercolors depicted the Larsson family home at Lilla Hyttnäs in Sundborn, Dalarna, and the series became one of the most widely reproduced images in Swedish cultural history, shaping ideas of the ideal Swedish domestic interior for more than a century. The yard and washhouse scene extends the series beyond the famous interiors to include the working life of the property — the outdoor spaces where laundry was done, firewood stacked, and daily labor performed. By including these utilitarian spaces alongside the prettier sitting rooms and children's bedrooms, Larsson presented a complete picture of a life in which beauty and practicality were integrated rather than opposed. The Arts and Crafts influence on Karin Larsson's interior decorating — flat colors, handwoven textiles, vernacular Swedish furniture — is visible throughout the series and made it an important reference point for the Swedish design reform movement. The Nationalmuseum acquired the entire series, ensuring that this vision of wholesome, artistic domesticity became a permanent part of Sweden's national self-image.

Watercolor on paper, executed with the confident, economical technique Larsson developed specifically for the 'A Home' series. Outlines are crisp and defining, with flat areas of color applied within them — a method closer to illustration than to the atmospheric washes of traditional watercolor. This decorative clarity reproduced well, which suited the series' publication purpose.