Viggo Johansen (1851-1935) Danish painter. Oil on canvas, 127x158 cms The Hirschsprung Collection, Copenhagen, Denmark: www.hirschsprung.dk/Image.aspx?id=97&col=6 It is Christmas in the home of the Johansen family with the artist’s wife and family dancing and singing round the Christmas tree in the living room. The painting had been begun Christmas 1890, but finally finished in April 1891. The work of the intervening months had required the windows of the room to be covered, the candles relit, and the models to be posed in turn by the tree. As time passed, the Christmas tree began to shed, and fresh branches were obtained to replace them. Johansen’s efforts culminated to produce one of his most well-loved, popular works.
