Solitude, 1907-12, oil on canvas, 46.8 x 32.3 cm

Here, we see a man in a dark suit sitting comfortably on a white sofa. In his right hand he holds a book that he studies, while his left hand supports his head. He is Tzortzis (Georgios) Karavias, the father of the painter’s husband. The surroundings are ideal for the depicted figure’s activity, as he sits in a quiet environment where books and paintings harmonically coexist within a warm atmosphere that favours study, reading and introspection.

The setting is aligned with the mental disposition of the depicted human figure, and this is achieved through various means. The painter selects sombre tones, emphasises the dim light that fills the room through the small window situated on the upper right side of the composition and chooses to use rough brushwork to define the contours. The contrast between the dark colour of the suit and the white of the sofa delineates the space in a well-balanced manner.

The composition is robust and alludes to the German impressionistic perception of the painted surface – a reference to which the artist steadily returns throughout her work. The person depicted is more than adequately profiled. Placed within a calm, mild and isolated background, he stands out thanks to his reflecting mood. He is absorbed in reading and contemplating, something that probably testifies his interest and inclination towards intellectual and spiritual preoccupations. This piece dates from the period between 1907 and 1912 when, already artistically in her prime, the painter has developed her technique and renders her themes with dynamism, expressing a personal idiom.