Sigrid Hjertén was a pioneering artist whose courage and desire to explore new forms of expression led her to play a significant role in modern art in the early 20th century. Her artistic journey took her from Sundsvall via Stockholm to Paris, where she arrived in September 1909. By this time, the French capital had become a meeting place for young artists from across Europe, drawn by the new and radical developments in painting. One of the most prominent figures was Henri Matisse, who, following his acclaimed breakthrough at the 1905 Autumn Salon, had established himself as a leading proponent of modern art. He had founded a small painting school where tuition was free of charge, quickly attracting young artists from other countries. Hjertén joined the school together with several Swedish artists, and Matisse soon recognised her artistic talent.

It was also in Paris that Hjertén met Isaac Grünewald, who was to play a decisive role in her life. He was an outgoing and lively person, with an ease for making new contacts, including beyond the Scandinavian artistic circle. In time, a romantic relationship developed between the two artists. When Hjertén returned to Stockholm at the beginning of September 1911, they continued to correspond, and later that month she told him that she was expecting a child. Grünewald then travelled to Stockholm, where they married. At the beginning of May 1912, the couple settled at Kornhamnstorg.

Although life took them back to Sweden, France remained an important source of inspiration for both artists. There they found new impulses, as well as the opportunity to recuperate and develop their artistic practices. The small painting from 1913 now offered at auction is believed to have been executed during a stay in France. The subject depicts a harbour with boats lying at anchor, rendered in short, intense brushstrokes. Through an expressive interplay of colour and a vibrant composition, Hjertén transforms an everyday setting into a vivid visual experience. Her assured feeling for colour and her ability to create vitality and luminosity in an apparently simple subject are also clearly evident in this smaller work.