Composition 1916

Curator: Standing before us, we have J.A. Jerichau’s (II) *Composition*, an oil painting on canvas dating from 1916, currently held in the collection of the SMK—the Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: What a trip. I'm immediately struck by its, well, its brazen confidence. Like a child’s drawing infused with raw adult energy. Are we sure this isn’t a very talented fifth-grader who’s skipped ahead? Curator: Well, Jerichau did grow up in an artistic household, so precocity wouldn't be a surprise. But this artwork exists within the context of Expressionism. Jerichau uses distortions and exaggerations of form, rendering it in thick strokes, perhaps influenced by German Expressionist group portraits. It feels very much in dialogue with those tendencies. Editor: Those almost cartoonish figures arranged like unruly building blocks. Do you think that was deliberate, like he’s questioning tradition? It’s got this…innocent defiance that I admire. It’s less concerned with the proper shape of a form, as what feeling it gives. It also somehow communicates a deep sense of both angst and camaraderie. Curator: Interesting. Looking at the composition, there is definitely a tension between order and chaos, which many were likely feeling on the verge of WW1 in 1916. One reading suggests it could reflect on social cohesion amid growing anxieties of the time, and this use of "naive art" aesthetics can come from looking inward. How interesting to juxtapose it with a group setting. Editor: Hmm, like a crowd that's both a refuge and a source of unrest? I hadn’t considered the social context, and here it hits differently. There’s an interesting blend of styles here; almost like he tried on a variety of aesthetics before settling on his own…or maybe he liked it this way. It just has such playful candor. What a world of difference between intention and execution. Curator: Absolutely. And I find that inherent friction so stimulating, historically and viscerally. Editor: Exactly. Makes you question, right? I am going to keep this defiant group portrait close to heart as I make my way into the gallery today.