Helene Schjerfbeck

Acquired from the artist in the late 1920s; thence by descent to the present owner

Helsinki, Ateneum, Helene Schjerfbeck, 1992, no. 338, illustrated in the catalogue
Hyvinkää, Taidemuseo, Helene Schjerfbeck Taikavuorella Muutoksen vuodet 1902-1925, 2001-02

H. Ahtela (Einar Reuter), Helene Schjerfbeck, Stockholm, 1953, p. 365, no. 614, catalogued (as Kaliforniskan)
Helene Schjerfbeck 150 Years, exh. cat., Helsinki, 2012, p. 260, no. 501, catalogued & illustrated

Charcoal and gouache on brown paper. The sheet has not been laid down. There is a fine old crease in the lower right corner. There are two very small spots of paint flaking in the upper left and in the upper right corners respectively and one light scuff to the left of the girl's head closer to the upper edge, all of which are visible in the catalogue illustration. Some very minor spots of paint flaking are also visible upon close inspection in the somewhat dry white gouache in the girl's nose and hair. There are some small, faint, scattered drop marks in the background which appear to be somewhat lighter in reality than they appear in the catalogue illustration. This work is in good overall condition and is ready to hang. Presented in a dark wooden frame with a beige inner slip.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Executed circa 1927, the present work belongs to a series of five works depicting the same sitter who captivated Schjerfbeck over a fifteen-year period. Most of the works in the series are in prominent Finnish public collections, including the first oil of 1919 (Ateneum, Helsinki) (fig. 1), the oil of 1934 (Didrichsen Art Museum), and the watercolour of the same year (Reitz Foundation; formerly in the collection of actress Ingrid Bergman). All five versions present the young Ulrika Baarman (1895-1978), as Schjerfbeck saw her in Tammisaari when she was aged twenty-four. Born in San Francisco, Ulrika was a relative of the artist through her mother. 

Here Schjerfbeck reprised the composition of some eight years earlier. While she radically reinterpreted other compositions such as The Convalescent, her vision of The Girl from California remained remarkably consistent across the versions. Certain variations can be noted however: while the 1919 Ateneum oil presents the sitter close-cropped and on a square format, for the present work Schjerfbeck shifted towards a more rectangular, vertical sheet emphasising the downward glance of the figure. Bold patches of white gouache define the fall of light on the left side of her nose, the sensuous cupid’s bow of her upper lip, and the upper-left of her head, with the head itself haloed in green. The result is a particularly abstracted and haunting interpretation.