3009 - ALBERT ANKER

ALBERT ANKER (1831–1910) The Older Sister, Knitting. 1882. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower left: Anker 1882. 53 × 76.5 cm. Provenance: - Zbinden-Hess Auction, Bern, December 1–2, 1944, lot 347. - Private collection, Switzerland, acquired at the above auction. - Thence by descent to the present owner. Exhibited: - Probably Basel 1882, Catalog of the Special Exhibition of Swiss Artists, Kunsthalle Basel, May 1882, no. 2, as “Girl Knitting.” - Konolfingen 1954, Albert Anker Exhibition, Municipality of Konolfingen, May 2–23, 1954, no. 30, as “Das schlafende Brüderchen.” - Bern 1960, Albert Anker, Kunstmuseum Bern, September 17–December 11, 1960, no. 82, as “Die ältere Schwester” (label on the reverse). Bibliography: - Probably Beat Tscharner von Bürier: The Visual Arts in Switzerland in 1881, Bern 1882, p. 8. - Exhibition catalog: Albert Anker Exhibition, Konolfingen 1954, p. 18, no. 30. - Fritz Probst and Marguerite Janson: Albert Anker. His Village and His Models, Basel 1954, p. 24. - Exhibition catalog Albert Anker, Bern 1960, no. 82. - Albert Anker, Max Huggler, and Kunstmuseum Bern: Albert Anker. Catalog of Paintings and Oil Studies, Bern 1962, no. 108, as “Girl Knitting and Sleeping Boy” (ill.). - Sandor Kuthy and Therese Bhattacharya-Stettler: Albert Anker. Catalog of Paintings and Oil Studies, Basel 1995, p. 157, no. 294 (ill.). An older sister sits beside her little brother, who is asleep on a red bench, absorbed in her knitting. While the boy sleeps peacefully, she keeps a quiet, watchful eye on him. In “The Older Sister, Knitting,” painted in 1882, Albert Anker captures an ordinary moment of daily life and imbues it with a particular intimacy. The scene is remarkable for its peaceful atmosphere, in which every gesture seems entirely natural. Warm light suffuses the composition, reinforcing the tranquility of the moment and drawing attention to the close bond between the two children. Without lapsing into sentimentality, Anker transforms this everyday scene into a touching portrayal of childhood affection. The stillness of the sleeping boy contrasts with his sister’s focused activity, while the red bench adds a warm splash of color. The quiet poetry of everyday life—evident in the naturalness of their gestures and their unguarded closeness—is what makes Anker’s painting so distinctive.