Sofie & Cecilia

This article has multiple issues. Please help or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

First edition (publ. Knopf Canada)

Sofie & Cecilia is a historical novel by Canadian author Katherine Ashenburg. The novel drew attention for being Ashenburg's fiction debut published when she was 72.^[1] She was inspired to write the book after a visit to Sweden where she learned that despite the fact that they had the same artistic training, Swedish artist Carl Larsson refused to allow his wife Karin to paint after they were married. She initially reached out to her friend, writer Jane Urquhart, hoping she would write about the Larsson's, but Urquhart instead encouraged Ashenburg to write a novel about them herself.^[2]

A work of fiction, the titular characters are loosely based on Karin Bergöö Larsson wife of Swedish artist Carl Larsson and Emma Lamm, wife of Swedish artist Anders Zorn.

The novel follows the lives of the two titular characters, Sofie Olsson (based on Karin Bergöö Larsson) and Cecilia Vogt (based on Emma Lamm), Swedish women who are both married to artists, who meet in their 30s and develop a lifelong friendship.

Plot[]

In 1901 Sofie Olsson and her husband Nils, along with their children, travel to visit Lars Vogt and his wife Cecilia. Though Nils and Lars are artist colleagues and friends, Sofie and Cecilia barely know each other. Sofie admires Cecilia, but after sending her a thank you letter for the visit Sofie comes to believe that Cecilia does not want her friendship.

Sofie[]

Sofie is born Sofie Falkner and in 1882 leaves her small village to attend the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. Like the other female students she is segregated from the male students and is not allowed to draw nudes. Sofie and the other female students settle on drawing scenes drawn from their domestic life and while Sofie does not distinguish herself at school she continues to paint after graduation. Post-graduation Sofie meets Nils Olsson and while studying in France the two fall in love and decide to marry. Nils has regressive and sexist attitudes towards women painters which Sofie ignores, eventually accepting that she needs to give up drawing and painting once she marries Nils. She settles into domestic life and mostly defers to Nils, channelling her creativity into raising their children and decorating their home. The Olsson home becomes famous for being an example of Swedish craftsmanship and after Sophia Magdalena of Denmark visits her home, Sofie finds herself renewing her friendship with Cecilia, with the two becoming much better acquainted.

Sofie's artwork, particular her weaving, manages to attract attention over the years. Cecilia suggests she market her designs, and a Scottish artist of the applied arts, MacDonald Lawrie, is interested in exhibiting her work. Despite not having explicit instructions from Nils to do so, Sofie declines all offers to expand her work and take it public. Sofie also becomes increasingly dissatisfied with her marriage as she hears rumours that Nils has fathered children with other women and she continues to grieve the loss of her painting. Sofie and Mr. Lawrie keep up their friendship with Lawrie eventually confessing his love for her in 1914. Sofie gently rebuffs him despite no longer being in love with Nils.

In 1915 Sofie's eldest son, Markus, dies from an infection after having his appendix removed. The one time that Sofie drew during her marriage was when she was suffering from postpartum depression after Markus was born. When he is dead she once again draws him as she remembers him. Through Markus's death she also meets Dora Helmersen, a photographer who photographs the dead. As Markus was interested in photography prior to his death Sofie tries to learn a little about photography through Dora, eventually seeing the experimental work she has done. Though Sofie does not always admire Dora's work she does realize she is an artist.

Cecilia[]

Cecilia is born into a wealthy Jewish family of textile manufacturers. She meets Lars Vogt when he is painting a portrait of her nephew and she is assigned to calm her nephew and keep him still. When they wish to become engaged she is surprised that her family is not upset by his Christianity but because he is poor. To get her family to agree to the marriage Lars and Cecilia agree to a secret engagement of at most five years until Lars can establish himself as a successful artist but he manages to secure his fortune in four and the couple are wed and move to France. While there Cecilia assumes they are happy, but is shocked when she discovers a condom despite the fact that the couple are trying to conceive. Lars openly admits to having an affair and Cecilia decides to forgive him.

By 1899 Lars has become so successful the Vogts decide to move back to Sweden. By this time Cecilia has grown accustomed to Lars's many affairs, but she holds out hope that they will be able to have children. When she returns the Olsson's visit in 1901 she is pregnant with a child but on the train ride home she has a miscarriage.

Lars grows more and more successful, going to America where he makes enough money that the Vogt's become very rich and are able to be patrons of the small village where Lars was raised with Cecilia helping to run the orphanage and a school that teaches adult literacy and craftsmanship. Cecilia continues to tolerate Lars's affairs with models, but when he sleeps with one of Cecilia's maids she is furious, especially when she confronts him and realizes he is bored. From then on she sleeps with him only as a means to get pregnant, and when she reaches menopause their sex life ceases altogether.

Cecilia and Lars decide to turn their home into a museum after their deaths and hire a recent university graduate, Lisbeth Gregorius to help them undertake the project. Cecilia is charmed by her as she is completely indifferent to Lars's attempts to seduce her. The two grow very friendly and in 1916 they begin a sexual affair.

Red[]

In 1924 Nils abruptly dies shortly after completing his memoirs. Sofie's children try to block publication due to several unsavoury themes, but to their surprise Sofie does not want the book censored and is only angered by the book because it makes no mention of the fact that she was a painter and that she was also responsible for much of the design work in their house. She privately returns to painting.

Lars falls out of critical favour as a painter though he remains more financially successful than ever. In 1931 he suffers from a stroke and Cecilia is led to believe he will die quickly. Contrary to the doctor's opinion Lars clings to life though now he is wholly dependent on Cecilia and the servants leading her to think of him as the child she never had.

By 1933 Cecilia is growing concerned with the rise in anti-semitism while Lisbeth, who is still her lover, is unconcerned and thinks she is being too reactionary. At a local festival presented by Cecilia, Sofie accidentally sees them almost kissing and begins to suspect what members of her family have been aware of for some time: Cecilia and Lisbeth are lovers.

In 1934 MacDonald Lawrie returns to Askebo, Sofie's village, and proposes marriage. Sofie accepts but quickly realizes she does not want to live in Scotland and breaks the brief engagement. As the years go by Sofie and Cecilia draw closer together, both more openly talking about their difficulties in being married to promiscuous men and about their passion for their work.

Sofie reveals her paintings to her family and then finally to Cecilia who suggests that she move from the watercolours that were Nils's domain into oil paints. Sofie takes up her suggestion and shortly after receives a call from Lisbeth who informs her that Cecilia has died after a long illness which she kept hidden.

Sofie attends Cecilia's funeral where she is buried in a churchyard after her family gives her a private Jewish ceremony. Returning home Sofie returns to painting.

Reception[]

The novel received mixed reviews. Quill & Quire criticized the novel for being "consistently flat, conveying no heights of either personal or artistic passion."^[3]

References[]