Artwork
In the Tub
In the Tub is an oil painting by the Naturalist artist Christian Krohg. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition suggests a quiet moment of maternal care, reflecting contemporary interest in the private sphere and the rhythms of family life.
The painting shows a domestic interior in which a woman bathes an infant while a man looks on, a scene that Krohg rendered with careful attention to everyday detail. By placing mother, child and bathtub within a modest room, the work exemplifies the 19th‑century genre focus on ordinary household activities. The composition suggests a quiet moment of maternal care, reflecting contemporary interest in the private sphere and the rhythms of family life. As a genre scene, the piece documents contemporary middle‑class domestic routines rather than idealized myth or allegory.
Technique & Style
The work titled In the Tub is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 144.3 cm by 153.7 cm and dated 1889. It belongs to the genre‑scene category and portrays a domestic interior with figures in a bathtub, including an infant and child, as recorded in the source descriptions. The painting’s material consists of oil paint applied to a canvas support, a technique typical of late‑19th‑century genre works.
Its formal composition emphasizes the intimate arrangement of the subjects within the confined space of the tub, reflecting a naturalistic rendering of everyday life. The piece is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection and was featured in the exhibition Christian Krohg. Pictures that captivate.
History & Provenance
In the Tub is an oil-on-canvas work by Christian Krohg, dated to 1889. According to the Wikidata record for the painting, its inception is given as 1 January 1889.
The work is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, which is also listed as its current location. Its recorded exhibition history includes the presentation "Christian Krohg. Pictures that captivate."
The available sources do not provide details on a commissioning party, intermediate owners, or a documented chain of custody prior to the painting's entry into the Statens Museum for Kunst's collection.
In the Tub is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it is recorded as belonging to the museum's holdings. The work was created by Christian Krohg in 1889 and entered the museum's inventory as part of the institution's permanent collection, though a specific accession number is not published in the available documentation. Its exhibition history includes a showing in the museum's presentation titled 'Christian Krohg. Pictures that captivate', which highlighted the artist's genre scenes.
Overview
Christian Krohg's 1895 oil painting, In the Tub, captures a domestic scene with a naturalist approach. This work by the Norwegian artist, known for his realistic portrayals of daily life, depicts a woman bathing a child. The painting is a notable example of Krohg's commitment to observing and rendering ordinary subjects. It is part of the collection at Statens Museum for Kunst.
Context
As a prominent Norwegian painter, illustrator, and writer, Christian Krohg was a key proponent of naturalism in art. His practice consistently involved depicting ordinary individuals and their environments with a commitment to realism. This approach positioned him as an influential figure within Norwegian art circles, leading to his later appointment as director and professor at the Norwegian Academy of Arts.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Christian Krohg (13 August 1852 – 16 October 1925) was a Norwegian naturalist painter, illustrator, author and journalist.
