Tidstavler med bl.a. diverse kunstner- og stednavne samt to diagrammer med bynavne 1913 - 1914

Editor: This is "Tidstavler med bl.a. diverse kunstner- og stednavne samt to diagrammer med bynavne," a drawing in ink on paper by J.A. Jerichau (II), created between 1913 and 1914. It looks like some kind of map or diagram… It feels very cryptic and personal. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Indeed, it’s like a personal code. Look closely, and you’ll see this isn't just any map; it’s a mapping of ideas, memories, perhaps even influences. Note the repetition of place names: Venice, Florence, Rome. What do those places evoke for you in terms of art history? Editor: Well, the Renaissance, of course! I mean, Venice was important to the Renaissance... so was Florence. Rome, too! Curator: Exactly. And look at the names sprinkled throughout – artists and figures linked to those locations. This isn't a literal journey; it’s a conceptual one. It’s Jerichau tracing his intellectual and artistic heritage. Consider how the seemingly random arrangement allows for personal associations that defy a traditional timeline or geography. What kind of narrative does this personal cartography construct, and for whom? Is this an aide-memoire, or something else? Editor: It feels like he’s creating his own artistic family tree. It’s fascinating to see these names and places linked in a way that makes sense to him, even if it's not immediately obvious to us. I wonder why he chose these particular connections. Curator: It reflects a deeply personal engagement with art history. The cultural memory embedded in those names and places resonated profoundly with him. How might the viewer decipher these layers of coded references and perhaps discover echoes within themselves? Editor: I see. So it’s an invitation to explore our own artistic heritage, and consider how it shapes us. Thank you; I'm finding all of this quite thought-provoking! Curator: My pleasure. Now you can perceive how an artwork may also operate as a historical symbol, or as a mental exercise open for new understanding.