Karin created the world-famous home we know from Carl Larsson's paintings. Her playful design and vibrant textiles were bold, modern, ahead of their time. This summer, the Carl Larsson-museum presents a large exhibition about Karin's life and work at Bosjökloster.
Karin met Carl when training as a painter. At his request, she laid her brushes aside when they married. Instead, she wove her artistic talent into her new role as wife and mother of eight. Her joyful aesthetics permeated the family home and continue to inspire to this day. The "Swedish style" seen in the IKEA catalog is in large part a legacy of the trendsetting Larsson couple. The image of their lifestyle has become an integral part of Swedish cultural heritage.
Karin in the weaving room, in Carl Larsson's painting Azalea. Thielska Museum / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
For a long time, Karin stood in the shadow of her famous husband. It was assumed that he made the artistic choices in their home. Karin was in the background, a quiet model in the paintings. However, research shows that this perception is anything but true. It was Karin's work that gave the home its irresistible atmosphere. For Carl, she was of fundamental importance for his art as a critic, source of inspiration and life companion.
Karin's creativity is characterised by curiosity, innovative thinking and an openness to trends and influences. At the turn of the last century, a multitude of artistic movements flourished. Karin experimented with and developed older weaving and textile techniques, and – inspired by Art Nouveau and the Arts & Crafts movement – developed her own expression in interior design, clothing and household textiles.
There is a telling story that when one of the weavers in the home happened to make a mistake, Karin encouraged her with:
“Keep going…let the hand be seen”
Welcome! Opening May 1, 2025
Open all days May 1 - September 21
More information about visiting Bosjökloster and Let the Hand Be Seen can be found here.
The exhibition is created by and lent by the Carl Larsson-museum. During the summer of 2025, it will be displayed in the Culture Stable at Bosjökloster, with financial support from Region Skåne and Höör Municipality.