c. 1902
Kapitein Flamberg
Henry Hennault
@henryhennaultLocation
RijksmuseumListen to curator's interpretation
Curatorial notes
Henry Hennault made this print called Kapitein Flamberg with some form of printing technique at an unknown date. I like the way it shows a kind of unrefined directness in both the drawing and the colours. The palette is very limited, so it's all about the interactions between the red, green, and blue-grey, which are laid down in flat areas of colour and roughly printed. The process feels transparent, nothing is hidden, you can see the hand of the artist in the drawing. Take a look at the line work, it's almost scribbled in places, but it all adds up to a lively composition. The whole thing is like a page from a comic, and reminds me of artists like Phillip Guston who embraced the form of the comic strip and incorporated some of its playfulness into his paintings. Ultimately, this kind of art shows us that there are many ways of seeing and experiencing the world.