Kitchen with the Artist’s Wife, 1887

In Kitchen, with the Artist’s Wife, Viggo Johansen captures his wife bathed in soft natural light as she works in a modest kitchen, the quiet ordinariness elevated into something intimate and reverent. The muted palette and gentle brushwork turn a daily chore into a scene of quiet dignity and warmth. With the major shapes, values, and proportions already established, this block-in underpainting is ready for you to paint directly on top in oil or acrylic. Use this rolled starter canvas as a springboard to layer color, define your edges and bring the scene to life in your own style.