Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen auction 846, 2014 no. 51.

This painting is a study for the large painting “Fru Krøyer går forbi Kristoffers hus” (Mrs Krøyer passes Kristoffer's house), 85×148 cm. Private collection.

Alba Schwartz writes in her book about the lives of the painters in Skagen and about the cultural clash between the elegant Marie Krøyer from Copenhagen and the earthbound townsfolk of Skagen (in Danish): When Mrs Krøyer walked down the street, people would stand in their doorways and greet her respectfully. But just as soon as she passed, the respectful greeting turned into a mocking grin, and they came rushing to behold, “How could anyone show off like that!”" (Alba Schwartz: Skagen, vol.1, 1912, p 180).

The painting is a depiction of exactly this moment when Marie Krøyer has passed the house and Kristoffer and the three women in the doorway are beginning to laugh.