From 1872 to 1875, Ludovica Thornam attended Vilhelm Kyhn's school of drawing and painting for women, as did her sister, the floral painter Emmy Thornam (1852–1935), and many other female artists at the time. In 1887, the two sisters received a three-year scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, which enabled them to travel to Italy and Paris together to further their education. Ludovica studied with, among others, the French painter Jules Lefebvre (1834–1912) at the Académie Julian and also with the painter Hector Leroux (1829–1900). Like Emilie Mundt and Marie Luplau, Ludovica made her debut in 1878 at Charlottenborg, and in the years 1889 to 1896 she exhibited at the Salon in Paris. In 1893, Ludovica and Emmy Thornam held a separate exhibition at the art dealer Stochholm in Bredgade – solo exhibitions like this with female artists was a rarity at the time. At their exhibition, both artists sold works to the royal family. Ludovica was one of the few female artists in the late 1800s who was able to make a living from her art.

Part of an older exhibition label on the stretcher.

Provenance: Kunsthallen auction 520, 2001 no. 144, reproduced p. 36. The Estate of Johan and Randi Dæhnfeldt, their sale Bruun Rasmussen auction 1334, 2013 no. 97.