Meditation. Karikaturer af Clemens, Juel og Charles Bonnet 1787 - 1887

Jens Juel created this caricature in ink on paper, presenting three figures in a row. The stark, minimalist lines against the pale paper give the drawing an immediate sense of directness. The figures, identified as Clemens, Juel himself, and Charles Bonnet, are rendered with exaggerated features. Note how the lines do not simply depict but perform; they swell and diminish, animating the caricatures with personality and satire. The artist plays with scale to emphasize certain traits, skewing our perception. Juel’s use of line destabilizes traditional portraiture. Consider the arrangement. Each figure occupies its own space yet exists in relation to the others. This structured composition enhances the reading of each character. The simplicity of the line work forces us to consider what isn't there, prompting a dialogue between absence and presence.