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Different artists from the same period as Niels Hansen Jacobsen (1861-1941 - the main artist at the Vejen Art Museum) are exhibited in order to give a wide impression of what happened in Danish art especially at the turn of the century. Hans Nikolaj Hansen was one of the artists who at times - especially in his graphic oeuvre - worked on the verge of symbolism. Paris - as for Hansen Jacobsen - became of vital importance to Hans Nikolaj Hansen. In 1878-79 he, like his Danish colleagues Th. Philipsen, Joakim Skovgaard, P. S. Krøyer and Christian Zacho, studied with Léon Bonnat. Hans Nikolaj Hansen was taught the importance of a well worked over drawing. The master's own ideal was Spanish painters such as Zurbaran - his use of intense darkness also made an impact on Hans Nikolaj Hansen. After that he returned regularly to Paris - during the winter of 1890-91 he attended teaching by Puvis de Chavannes. During the 1880s Hans Nikolaj Hansen created illustrations for several books such as Ludvig Holberg's »Peder Paars«, Oehlenschläger's »Sanct Hansaften-Spil« and »Aladdin« - he even illustrated Shakespeare's »A Midsummer-Night's Dream«. At the same time - and especially during the 1890's - he gradually built up a large graphic production. His fascination for the theatre, the great dramas and impressive backdrops had a vital impact on both productions. He was fond of the 18th and 19th century gallantry - also visible in »A Sleeping Page at the Eremitage«. Apparently the painting was never exhibited - and the artist has left no explanation. The audience can study the young page asleep among the trees on a spot that today looks much the same (part of a large park, »Dyrehaven«, north of Copenhagen). The Eremitage is visible in the distance (the name means a place for people wanting to live in solitude - a place where the Danish kings went when wanting to be alone). Are the royal guests having a party and have asked to be left alone, or has the page simply fallen asleep? A very different sort of 'theatre' takes place in the painting that hangs next to the page at the Vejen Art Museum. Hans Nikolaj Hansen's masterpiece »The Girl at the Churchyard« from 1880 has been lent to Vejen by the New Carlsberg Glyptotek. The painting has a subtitle »Life's Greatest Tragedy is to Loose Someone one is Fond of«. The painting is based on a short story by the Danish author Steen Steensen Blicher called »Hosekræmmeren« (a person who sells socks). It is a tale of a young couple who were not allowed to marry. Her father's »No« combined with a long period of waiting for her beloved drove the young woman mad. Not realising what she did, she killed him when he finally returned. Hans Nikolaj Hansen has painted an episode that does not exist in the story. Ominous groups of birds and a change of weather combined with the chaotic state of the churchyard seem to express the turmoil in her mind. Her quiet, stooping figure seems to meditate on the small pile of soil on the grave. It seems oddly small considering the fact that it should cover the tomb of the man she loved. In the way he has painted the surroundings one senses an insight that seems of the same kind as Anna E. Munch's in her depiction of the women from western Jutland on their way home from the church. Teresa Nielsen
Literature V. Jastrau »Hans
Nikolaj Hansen«, Smaa Kunstbøger nr. 17, 1923 |
