Forskellige kompositionsstudier, bl.a. til "Jakobs kamp med engelen" 1879 - 1910

Oluf Hartmann made this sketch sheet in Denmark around the turn of the century as studies for his painting "Jacob Wrestling with the Angel." Hartmann was part of a generation of artists grappling with the rise of modernism and its impact on traditional religious narratives. This sheet reveals the artist's struggle to translate a biblical story into a modern visual language. We see multiple attempts to capture the intensity of the encounter, with figures rendered in dynamic, almost violent, poses. The wrestling match between Jacob and the angel is loaded with symbolic and cultural significance, embodying themes of struggle, faith, and transformation. To truly understand this work, one might delve into the religious and philosophical debates of early 20th-century Denmark, and explore the influence of Symbolism and Expressionism on artists seeking to convey spiritual experiences in a secular age. Hartmann's artistic journey reflects the broader cultural shifts of his time.