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Koch is best known for his light-filled realist paintings of urban interiors, often set in his own Manhattan apartment. Fittingly, the people who appeared on Koch’s canvases were a part of his everyday life. Mrs. Koch, a favorite subject who is depicted here, was a pianist and instructor. Her students and their close friends were also subjects.
There is a warmth in this scene that is balanced with a chilling cold - the bold splashes of the pink floral bouquet and the warm light on Mrs. Koch’s back contrasts with a window that peers outside at the snow-covered trees and plants, buried deep in the white flakes.