This superb oil painting is by the Danish artist Sophie Klapper. Born in 1887, little is known about the life and training of Klapper, except that she studied at the Weimar School of Fine Art in German during the years either side of the First World War.
The painting portrays the Madonna and Child attended by a woman and three children. The Christ Child lies upon a soft blanket atop a brick ledge, while the Madonna gazes at him with a solemn expression—her hesitant happiness indicating her foreknowledge of what will become of her son. The three young children stand at Christ’s feet, each gazing on him with a gentle expression, while the woman stands behind, cradling them between her arms.
The setting is rural: a green, verdant meadow extends to the distant horizon, which is lined with blue hazy mountains, while trees litter the middle ground. The manner of execution is fine, with precise brushstrokes and an unadulterated and vibrant colour palette employed to render the scene. The style of the painting recalls the work of the Pre-Raphaelites and similar artistic movements of the latter nineteenth century.
A label on reverse in German reads 'Eigentum der Jesuiten Niederlassung, Breslau, Jabitzstr. 16.' translating as 'Property of the Jesuit establishment of Breslau (previously part of Germany, now Wroclaw, Poland), 16 Jabitz Street'.
The painting is contained within a dark carved wood tabernacle shaped frame and the work is signed ‘S. KLAPPER’ to the lower left corner.
Frame: Height 93cm, width 137cm, depth 8cm
Canvas: Height 72cm, width 116cm, depth 2cm
Provenance-+
Label on reverse in German reads 'Eigentum der Jesuiten Niederlassung, Breslau, Jabitzstr. 16.' translating as 'Property of the Jesuit establishment of Breslau (previously part of Germany, now Wroclaw, Poland), 16 Jabitz Street'.