“This tender portrait of the artist's wife, Ingeborg Plockross Irminger, captures a moment of quiet concentration. It's a beautiful example of how everyday scenes can reveal profound human connection and the dignity of work.”
In Valdemar Irminger's 1909 painting, we see a woman absorbed in her work, a quiet scene that invites us to pause and observe. The artist's wife, Ingeborg Plockross Irminger, is depicted here, her figure illuminated by a soft, natural light that streams in from an unseen window. She sits at a table, her head slightly bowed, concentrating on a task that appears to involve delicate handiwork. The brushstrokes are loose yet descriptive, capturing the domestic intimacy of the moment without idealization. This painting offers a glimpse into the daily life of a creative couple, reflecting a period when artists often found inspiration in their immediate surroundings and loved ones. The subdued palette and focus on interior light create a sense of calm reflection, making this more than just a portrait, but a contemplation of quiet industry.
- Artist
- Valdemar Irminger
- Date
- 1909
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Location
- Ribe Kunstmuseum
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The way light falls on her hair and shoulders, suggesting a window to her left.
The gentle curve of her back, indicating her focus on the task at hand.
The objects on the table, hinting at the nature of her work (perhaps sculpture).
The subtle warmth of the colors, creating an intimate and inviting atmosphere.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through My wife at work — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Valdemar Irminger
1850–1938 · Kingdom of DenmarkIrminger painted children at a Danish hospital with such tenderness that the works won him back-to-back Academy medals in 1888 and 1889.
Further Works by Irminger
Landscape with a red deer stag and two hinds.
1869
All Saints' Day. A widower in a cemetary for the poor in Rome.
1886 · Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Aalborg
A roaring lion in the Colosseum.
1886
From the Old Colosseum
1888 · ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum
En tilgivelse
1892 · Statens Museum for Kunst
Over midnat
1894 · Statens Museum for Kunst
The girl and the kitten.
1895
Dameportræt
1896 · Statens Museum for Kunst
More works to explore
Beyond Irminger: works from the same years.
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray
Piet Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Female Nude (Dodo)
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1909 · Albertina
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Red and Blue Rayonism (Beach)
Mikhail Larionov · 1911 · Museum Ludwig
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Bathers by a River
Henri Matisse · 1909 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Little Harbor in Normandy
Georges Braque · 1909 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Maude Adams (1872–1953) as Joan of Arc
Alphonse Mucha · 1909 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler
Pablo Picasso · 1910 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Birth
Marc Chagall · 1911 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Consolation
Edvard Munch · 1907 · Munch Museum
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Crouching Nude in Shoes and Black Stockings, Back View
Egon Schiele · 1912 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Sellar Alp, Dolomites
John Singer Sargent · 1913 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1890s–1920s
Mont Sainte-Victoire
Paul Cézanne · 1904 · Detroit Institute of Arts