Modern studios

This vibrant painting was created in 1895 by Emma Meyer (1859-1921). It depicts one of the women’s painting studios in the Royal Copenhagen factory, showing different stages of the decorating process. Front left, we see Emma’s younger sister, Jenny Meyer, who has just started painting a biscuit-fired vase, while another woman at the centre of the image seems to be applying the finishing touches to another vase. On the shelves to the right, the typical cobalt blue of several of the finished glazed and fired products catches the eye. No fewer than six kakejikus (Japanese hanging scrolls) adorn the walls, showing that the influence of Japanese art had permeated the painting studios.

What is striking is the spaciousness of the studio, with the high windows that admit plentiful daylight. If this seems like a romanticised vision, nothing could be further from the truth. Contemporaneous photographs of the studio reveal the same picture, with the large number of plants also catching the eye.These were intended not so much to serve as inspiration as to contribute to a healthy and pleasant working environment.