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Painting

estive occasions are an integral part of each country’s

national culture. International dates and local holidays
of Sweden’s regions are always events integrating and

F originally coloured.

Tsvetaeva Maria Alexandrovna,
Bachelor of Art Study in St. Petersburg University,
Master’s Student of the Faculty
of International Relations in St. Petersburg University
(St. Petesburg, Russia)

The Swedes have high respect for the turned out to be interesting no less than
native traditions of their country, and, ornamented palace interiors and the
absorbing something new, they do not southern nature beauties. This love to their
step aside from their roots. The famous paternal landscapes and traditions help the
enlightener of late XIX century Elizaveta Scandinavians not to lose their roots and
Nikolaevna Vodovozova wrote about customs.
Sweden in her work: “In general, citizens are In Sweden, traditions are strong and many
excessively attached to everything ancient festive dates traced back to the paganism.
and patriarchal. They follow old customs For instance, St. Knut’s winter holiday
and morals concerning religion, clothes, ending the Christmas holidays or the Mid-
food, and folk festivals faithfully [1, P.471]”. Summer one are an analogue of the Russian
The Swedish artist of late XIX century St. John the Baptist. This ancient custom
Carl Larsson being a bright representative rooted in the pagan celebration of summer
of the national Swedish romanticism was solstice.
inspired undoubtedly with folk traditions The painter’s big family treats the
and country’s original foundations. celebration of significant dates with much
Watercolours dedicated to national pomp and enthusiasm. Each family meal
Karl Larsson, a birthday party in a small storeroom. Watercolour.
holidays are the core of his works. Due to is painted with a diversity and fantasies,
them, scarce but touching northern nature many interesting ideas, no matter whether it
and unsophisticated festive occasions occurs in hot summer of hard winter.
In his watercolour album “My family”,
Š‡ ™ƒ–‡” ‘Ž‘—” Dz –Ǥ — ‹ƒdz ȋͥͤ͜͝Ȍ ‰‹˜‡• —• ƒ the artist demonstrates the Christmas, St.
Lucia’s day, and Mid-Summer holiday so
idea how this saint’s day was celebrated in Carl widely celebrated in the province of Dalarna,
Larsson’s family. This day the dark and gloomy where the Larssons live, to a spectator of the
canvas. This province has kept traditions
winter morning is painted with a festive mood. and customs as well as the national Swedish
The eldest daughter in the family becomes a colour up to now. Maybe, the very spirit of
ancient Dalarna had prompted the painter to
•›„‘Ž ‘ˆ DzŽ—‹‹ˆ‡”‘—•dz –Ǥ — ‹ƒ ‹ Š‡” ™Š‹–‡ the special style that made him famous. In
clothes and the traditional flower crown with this region, folk artistic crafts customs and
specific original art painting are still alive.
burning candles Very Dalarna became the Motherland of a

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